Indian Scientists Develop Smart Switch To Protect Crops From Stress

As climate change continues to challenge food security across the globe, Indian scientists have made a major breakthrough that could redefine how crops withstand heat and pathogens. A pioneering smart genetic tool, inspired by a natural mechanism in tomato plants, offers an energy-efficient way to help crops fight back precisely when they are most vulnerable—during heatwaves and microbial attacks. This innovation doesn’t just promise better harvests; it could transform how farmers tackle environmental stress in the years to come.

A Smarter Way for Plants to Defend Themselves

When plants are exposed to extreme temperatures or microbial threats, they undergo stress that affects their growth and yield. Traditional solutions often involve continuous use of chemical pesticides or genetic modifications that remain active regardless of conditions. However, researchers at the Bose Institute, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, have devised a more sustainable approach. Their tool uses a refined CRISPR-based system that only activates the plant’s defence genes during actual periods of stress, ensuring minimal energy use and maximum efficiency. Representative Image/ Credit: Meta AI

How the Modified CRISPR Tool Works

Instead of cutting into the DNA, as standard CRISPR methods do, the scientists used a specialised version known as dCas9. This altered system functions more like a switch than a pair of scissors. It remains inactive until a stress signal is received, at which point it turns on specific genes needed for survival.

The design incorporates a small but vital component derived from the tomato plant itself—a tethering domain from the NACMTF3 protein. Under normal conditions, this tether holds the gene switch outside the cell nucleus, keeping it inactive. But during heat or infection, the tether is released, allowing the gene switch to enter the nucleus and activate necessary defence genes. This stress-specific activation is what makes the technology especially efficient and environmentally sustainable.
Representative Image/ Credit: Meta AI

Successful Results in Multiple Crops

The team tested their innovation in tomatoes, tobacco and potatoes. Tomatoes, in particular, showed remarkable improvement when attacked by Pseudomonas syringae, a bacterial pathogen that becomes even more aggressive during high temperatures. The scientists activated two crucial defence genes, CBP60g and SARD1, exactly when the plant needed them, helping the tomatoes fight off infection more effectively.

Similarly, during heat stress, the system activated genes such as NAC2 and HSFA6b, which are known to assist in heat tolerance. These genes enabled the plants to retain water, stay greener and survive better in elevated temperatures. This smart activation strategy not only improved resilience but also preserved energy that the plants would otherwise waste by keeping defences switched on at all times.
Representative Image/ Credit: Meta AI

A Solution for Climate-Resilient Farming

With unpredictable weather and record-breaking temperatures becoming more frequent, such innovations come at a crucial time. Farmers across India and globally are already grappling with the consequences of climate change, including crop failures and reduced food quality. By offering a tool that activates plant defences only when required, this genetic switch presents a sustainable path forward.

Importantly, the technology is not limited to tomatoes alone. Given its success in solanaceous crops, it holds promise for application in eggplants, chillies and several other key food crops. This scalability ensures that a wide range of Indian agriculture could benefit from such targeted defence systems in the near future.

Towards a Future of Smart Agriculture

This development is part of a broader movement towards ‘smart agriculture’, where precision tools and biological insights are used to make farming more sustainable, productive and climate-resilient. Unlike genetically modified crops that are often met with resistance due to their permanent changes, this CRISPR-based solution works like a temporary and condition-based defence mechanism, reducing environmental impact and long-term risk.

With publication in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules and recognition under initiatives like Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, this breakthrough highlights how scientific innovation in India continues to address some of the most urgent challenges of our time. As the global demand for food grows alongside the threats from climate change, such smart tools could be the key to securing agricultural success for generations to come.