CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Knockout of the White Gene in .

is the most effective natural enemy for the control of the invasive weed (Mart.) Griseb. However, research on the gene function and potential genetic improvement of is limited due to a lack of effective genetic tools. In this study, we employed the () gene as a target gene to develop a CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing method applicable to . We showed that injection of Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) of the gene into pre-blastoderm eggs induced genetic insertion and deletion mutations, leading to white eyes. Our results demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing is possible in , offering a valuable tool for studies of functional genomics and genetic improvement of , which could potentially lead to more effective control of invasive weeds through the development of improved strains of this biocontrol agent. In addition, the white-eyed mutant strain we developed could potentially be useful for other transgenic research studies on this species.