High yield and superior quality are the main goals pursued by breeders for crop improvement. However, both of them are complex agronomic traits controlled by multiple genes, so the simultaneous improvement of these traits via sexual recombination is time-consuming and direction-uncontrolled. In this study, to solve this dilemma, we introduced the comparative genomic analysis based multiplex genome editing system (CG-MGE), a method for rapid and directional improvement of multiple traits. Application of this method, association analysis between genotypes and phenotypes was carried out to mine excellent alleles; subsequently, the rare excellent alleles of Gn1a, GW2, TGW3, and Chalk5 were simultaneously created by multiplex genome editing and successfully improved the plant architecture, grain yield, and quality of a widely cultivated elite rice variety. Overall, this study provides a method for rapid and directional improvement of crops, and the application of the CG-MGE will be helpful to accelerate rational design breeding.

中文翻译：

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结合基因组学和多重基因组编辑，快速定向改良优良水稻品种

高产、优质是育种者追求作物改良的主要目标。然而，它们都是由多个基因控制的复杂农艺性状，因此通过有性重组同时改善这些性状是耗时且方向不受控制的。在本研究中，为了解决这一难题，我们引入了基于比较基因组分析的多重基因组编辑系统（CG-MGE），这是一种快速定向改进多种性状的方法。应用该方法，进行基因型与表型关联分析，挖掘优良等位基因；随后， Gn1a、GW2、TGW3和Chalk5的罕见优良等位基因通过多重基因组编辑同时创建，并成功改善了广泛栽培的优良水稻品种的植物结构、谷物产量和质量。总体而言，本研究为作物的快速定向改良提供了一种方法，CG-MGE的应用将有助于加速合理设计育种。