Globally, CRISPR-Cas9–based genome editing has ushered in a novel era of crop advancements. Weeds pose serious a threat to rice crop productivity. Among the numerous herbicides, glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine] has been employed as a post-emergent, broad-spectrum herbicide that represses the shikimate pathway via inhibition of EPSPS (5′-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) enzyme in chloroplasts. Here, we describe the development of glyphosate-resistant rice lines by site-specific amino acid substitutions (G172A, T173I, and P177S: GATIPS-mOsEPSPS) and modification of phosphoenolpyruvate-binding site in the native OsEPSPS gene employing fragment knockout and knock-in of homology donor repair (HDR) template harboring desired mutations through CRISPR-Cas9–based genome editing. The indigenously designed two-sgRNA OsEPSPS-NICTK-1_pCRISPR-Cas9 construct harboring rice codon-optimized SpCas9 along with OsEPSPS-HDR template was transformed into rice. Stable homozygous T₂ edited rice lines revealed significantly high degree of glyphosate-resistance both in vitro (4 mM/L) and field conditions (6 ml/L; Roundup Ready) in contrast to wild type (WT). Edited T₂ rice lines (ER_1–6) with enhanced glyphosate resistance revealed lower levels of endogenous shikimate (14.5-fold) in contrast to treated WT but quite similar to WT. ER_1–6 lines exhibited increased aromatic amino acid contents (Phe, two-fold; Trp, 2.5-fold; and Tyr, two-fold) than WT. Interestingly, glyphosate-resistant Cas9-free EL_1–6 rice lines displayed a significant increment in grain yield (20%–22%) in comparison to WT. Together, results highlighted that the efficacy of GATIPS mutations in OsEPSPS has tremendously contributed in glyphosate resistance (foliar spray of 6 ml/L), enhanced aromatic amino acids, and improved grain yields in rice. These results ensure a novel strategy for weed management without yield penalties, with a higher probability of commercial release.

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and main protease (M^Pro) are significant target proteins, mainly involved in the attachment of viral genome to host cells and aid in replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronaviruses or SARS‐CoV genome. In the present study, we identified 11 potent bioactive compounds from ethanolic leaf extract of Ipomoea obscura (L.) by using GC‐MS analysis. These potential bioactive compounds were considered for molecular docking studies against ACE2 and M^Pro target proteins to determine the antiviral effects against SARS‐COV. Results exhibits that among 11 compounds from I. obscura (L.), urso‐deoxycholic acid, demeclocycline, tetracycline, chlorotetracycline, and ethyl iso‐allocholate had potential viral inhibitory activity. Hence, the present findings suggested that chemical constitution present in I. obscura (L.) will address inhibition of corona viral replication in host cells.