Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 14 June 2021 doi:10.20944/preprints202106.0363.v1 Review Linking omics and gene editing tools for rapid improvement of traditional food plants for diversified foods and sustainable food security Ajay Kumar1,#,*, Anju T1,#,, Sushil Kumar2, Sushil Satish Chhapekar3, Sajana Sreedharan1, Sonam Singh3, Su Ryun Choi3, Nirala Ramchiary4 and Yong Pyo Lim3,* 1 Department of Plant Science, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, India;
[email protected]; 2 Department of Botany, Govt. Degree College, Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, India;
[email protected] 3 Molecular Genetics & Genomics Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea;
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[email protected];
[email protected] 4 School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] (AK); Tel.: +91-4672309245;
[email protected] (YPL) Abstract: The indigenous communities across the globe especially in the rural areas consume locally available plants known as Traditional Food Plants (TFPs) for their nutritional and health-related needs. Recent research shows that many of the traditional food plants are highly nutritious as they contain health beneficial metabolites, vitamins, mineral elements and other nutrients. Excessive re- liance on the mainstream staple crops has its own disadvantages. TFPs are nowadays considered important crops of the future and can act as supplementary foods for the burgeoning global popu- lation. They can also act as emergency foods in times of pandemics and other situations like COVID- 19. The current situation necessitates locally available alternative nutritious TFPs for sustainable food production.