Plants possess a remarkable skill in the generation of secondary metabolites,
which are commonly referred to as phytochemicals. These bioactive molecules are
non-nutritive and essential for the growth and expansion of plants. However, these
phytochemicals play a critical role in plant resistance against both biotic and abiotic
stress. Furthermore, they possess a vast array of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical
properties, making them commercially and economically significant. Unfortunately, the
synthesis of these compounds is not abundant and can be challenging to extract through
a cumbersome chemically synthetic process that is both inefficient and expensive.
Fortunately, second-generation CRISPR/Cas technology has proven to be a gateway to
enhancing the production of phytochemicals due to its simplicity, efficiency, and target
specificity. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to discuss the mechanistic role of
CRISPR/Cas9, its application in base editing, and its ability to enhance the production
of phytochemicals.
Keywords: CRISPR-Cas, Phytochemicals, TALENs, ZFNs.