CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool that has revolutionized the field of plant biology. However, it has some limitations, such as the requirement for a specific PAM sequence and the potential for off-target editing. A new tool called CRISPR-Cas12i3 has the potential to overcome some of these limitations because of its broader PAM sequence range and a lower frequency of off-target editing compared to CRISPR-Cas9.

A team of researchers has developed a software tool called DANGER (Deleterious and ANticipatable Guides Evaluated by RNA-sequencing) analysis. The tool provides a way to establish a safer genome editing design for all organisms with a transcriptome, including crops. The DANGER analysis overcomes the challenges in using other genome editing tools, such as CRISPR, and allows researchers to perform safer on- and off-target assessments without a reference genome. It has potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and biological research.

A study from Frontiers in Plant Science shows that the hairy root transformation system allowed a rapid evaluation of multiple single guide RNA (sgRNA) and promoters in common beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.). Results also indicate that the Lindel repair model is deemed the most effective tool for predicting sgRNA efficiency and the type of induced mutation in most hairy roots in common beans.

Researchers from Spain developed artificial proteins that can degrade and reduce nanoplastics and PET microplastics down to their essential components for easier recycling and breaking down. This will help reduce plastic pollution in the environment. About 400 million plastic tons are manufactured worldwide, increasing by 4% annually. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is one of the most used chemicals in packaging and beverage bottles. PET can wear down into microplastics, which exacerbates environmental problems.

Yuanpei University of Medical Technology researchers in Taiwan developed transgenic orchids (Phalaenopsis) to improve their photosynthetic efficiency and carbohydrate accumulation. The results are published in Transgenic Research. Phalaenopsis orchids use crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) for carbon dioxide assimilation. Compared to other models, CAM plants exhibit better water-use efficiency but slower photosynthetic efficiency. 

The potential uses and impacts of gene drive technologies have garnered increasing interest at the international and national levels across the world. As part of the effort to contribute to an informed debate around gene drive technologies, the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research and the ISAAA are organizing a new Gene Drive Webinar Series. The first webinar titled Genetic Tools For Conservation and Health: What's The Role of Gene Drives?

Scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have identified the genes responsible for low and ultra-low glycemic index (GI) in rice. This discovery will allow the conversion of popular rice varieties into low and ultra-low GI for refined white rice, through conventional breeding methods, keeping high-quality grain without compromising yield.

A  recent Twitter conversation between the UN’s David Beasley and Tesla’s Elon Musk has shown that hunger is deceptively complex. There is a crucial difference between acute hunger, caused by shocks like war or natural disasters, and chronic hunger, which occurs when agricultural production (and distribution) fails to keep pace with threats such as soil degradation, erratic rainfall, or heatwaves, or when poverty renders food unaffordable.

In the heart of Taita-Taveta County, Kenya, an innovative combination of superior seeds and comprehensive training is yielding bumper crops. The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, supported by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), has registered significant positive impacts. Farmers are reporting better harvests than traditional farming methods, which are often adversely affected by unpredictable rainfall.

It doesn’t matter where you live. There is no escaping rising food prices. Assuming you can still find physical ones instead of QR code versions, restaurant menus have telltale stickers with handwritten higher numbers. Supermarket shelves are filling up with packaged food that may appear to be roughly the same price, but with less content, a sneaky practice called shrinkflation.