Prof. Kourosh Vahdati, Associate Fellow of the Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Chair of the Horticultural Sciences Division of the Agricultural and Natural Resources Department of the Academy, has reviewed a recent article published in the prestigious journal Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. In this scientific note, he examines recent advances in CRISPR technology and their potential role in the future transformation of agriculture and horticulture. Prof. Vahdati notes that, in less than a decade, CRISPR–Cas gene-editing technology has evolved from a laboratory research tool into one of the most transformative technologies in the life sciences. The technology has not only enabled increasingly precise modification of plant genomes but has also opened new avenues for developing crops with improved yield, quality, and resistance or tolerance to a range of environmental stresses. The review article published in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology highlights that recent CRISPR-based technologies are no longer limited to the generation of relatively simple genetic mutations. They now enable increasingly precise engineering of the genome and epigenome, as well as targeted regulation of gene expression. These advances are expanding the possibilities for improving complex plant traits with greater precision and, in some cases, substantially shorter development timelines than those associated with conventional breeding. The article examines a wide range of CRISPR applications, including increasing crop productivity, improving product quality, enhancing resistance to diseases and pests, increasing tolerance to drought, salinity, and heat, and potentially reducing the need for certain chemical inputs. The authors also discuss the emergence of technologies such as base editing and prime editing, together with novel gene-delivery systems, which can enable highly precise genetic changes and, depending on the specific approach, may allow targeted modification without the stable incorporation of foreign DNA. From the perspective of horticultural sciences, these technologies could contribute to a major transformation in the breeding of fruit trees, ornamental plants, and vegetable and field crops. Potential benefits include shortening the time required to develop improved cultivars, modifying or eliminating undesirable genetic traits, enhancing resistance or tolerance to climate-related stresses, and improving fruit quality, nutritional value, and postharvest characteristics. These possibilities are particularly significant for perennial fruit crops, where conventional breeding is often constrained by long juvenile periods and lengthy breeding cycles. The authors nevertheless emphasize that the continued development and application of CRISPR technologies require careful consideration of potential off-target effects, genome stability, biosafety and regulatory frameworks, public acceptance, and the ethical and environmental implications of genome editing. Coordinated policies and appropriate risk-assessment frameworks will therefore be essential for the responsible deployment of these technologies in agriculture. For countries such as Iran, which face challenges including limited water resources, rising temperatures, soil salinity, and the need to improve the productivity and resilience of orchards, the targeted application of advanced gene-editing technologies could contribute to the development of resilient horticultural cultivars, more efficient use of agricultural inputs, and enhanced food security. Such approaches, however, should be pursued as complementary tools alongside conventional breeding, conservation and utilization of genetic resources, advanced tissue culture, and precise phenotyping. It can be argued that, just as conventional plant breeding contributed substantially to the agricultural transformation of the twentieth century, CRISPR technology has the potential to help shape a new generation of more precise, efficient, sustainable, and climate-resilient agriculture and horticulture.