How Genome Editing Can Be Helpful in the Biofortification of Legumes

Legumes are consumed as a staple food in low-income countries to meet growing nutritional demands and are used as rich sources of protein and micronutrients. However, they are unable to deliver enough calories, because they are deficient in several essential nutrients and are rich in antinutrient compounds that prevent the absorption of micronutrients. Billions of people in the world are being malnourished as a result, leading to disease in the population. Researchers have worked predominantly to identify new and improved genetic features in legumes, such as high yield, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality, in consideration of the significant roles that they play in human nutrition and agricultural productivity. Genome-editing (GE) technologies have provided new opportunities for the development of biofortified legumes. We evaluate the experiences from the past and various strategies to demonstrate the necessity of biofortifying pulses to reduce malnutrition and hidden hunger and provide the general population with enriched diets. Grain legumes could be biofortified with micronutrients as a potential method to improve the nutritional value of food. Biofortified grain legumes have been produced using a variety of technologies, including classical techniques, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Moreover, NBTs are utilized to biofortify grain legumes by silencing, overexpressing, and transferring genes from other species. Developing nutrient-dense and antinutrient-free grain legumes holds considerable promise for transgenic, small single-stranded, 21–23 nucleotide, non-coding RNA molecules (micro-RNA), and genome-editing technologies. Using genomics and genome-editing-based methods, we highlight recent attempts to manipulate the genes/QTLs controlling biofortification and antinutrient buildup in legumes. Technologies for genome editing have opened new opportunities for breeding legumes to improve important agronomic traits. With the help of these innovative technologies and methods, we intend to accelerate the development of varieties of legume crops high in micronutrients and low in antinutritional elements, which will help in the biofortification of legumes and address issues such as malnutrition and hidden hunger.