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Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum species complex is the most devastating disease of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Attempted management of chili anthracnose through conventional approaches hasn’t met with tangible success. CRISPR/Cas9 based precise and predictable targeted point mutations has emerged as the most powerful alternative in plant breeding without the need for a foreign DNA donor or double stranded DNA cleavage. We have used a CRISPR/Cas9 fused Cytidine Base Editing (CBE) system for precise editing of NAC72 locus in Chili pepper using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation approach. The CBE efficiently edited the targeted cytidine bases leading to anthracnose resistance with precise base edition efficiency up to 69% in chili pepper. The outcomes from this study will be deliberated to demonstrate that base editing could facilitate precision molecular breeding in plants for specific trait improvement.
