Climate Action took center stage during the first day of the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) during an Italy-led high-level event dedicated to exploring solutions to build climate-resilient agrifood systems and reduce their carbon footprint to meet the growing global demand for food, while protecting the environment. The session held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), was opened by Antonio Tajani,

Researchers at North Carolina State University led by NC State CRISPR pioneer Rodolphe Barrangou and tree geneticist Jack Wang have developed poplar trees with reduced levels of lignin using a CRISPR gene editing system. The research team used predictive modeling to lower lignin levels, increase the carbohydrate to lignin (C/L) ratio, and increase the ratio of two important lignin building blocks – syringyl to guaiacyl (S/G) – in poplar trees.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) has launched a new resource page on transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), a powerful gene editing tool. TALENs are highly accurate and can target any DNA sequence. They can also be used to modify DNA within organelles, such as mitochondria.

Development of our exciting, ground-breaking plant and microbial science and innovation hub can go ahead with confirmation of funding announced today. The transformational investment will fund new cutting-edge, world-class facilities for the John Innes Centre (JIC) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) at the heart of the Norwich Research Park. This will deliver a step change in our capability to translate scientific knowledge into bio-based solutions in response to some of society’s most pressing challenges.

The FDA review states, "We have no further questions concerning human food derived from Del/Ros1-N tomato at this time."  This decision from the FDA aligns with the United States Department of Agriculture's favorable decision in September 2022, marking a significant milestone for Norfolk. The FDA meticulously reviewed the purple tomato's composition, safety, and other relevant parameters. Purple tomatoes have a similar nutrient composition as their conventional counterparts, except for their intended higher levels of anthocyanins.

Addressing a high-level United Nations Townhall Meeting held in New York during the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2023 on Sustainable Development, under the theme "Overcoming the crises, driving transformation for the SDGs, and leaving no one behind,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu today outlined six actions he said were needed to transform agrifood systems to make them more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.

Scientists have made significant progress in improving the transformation efficiency of melon, a process that allows genes to be transferred into melon plants. The optimized protocol, along with the utilization of the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated cytosine base editor, provides a reliable framework for functional gene engineering in melon. In the past, melon transformation was a complicated and inefficient process. However, the reported protocol makes it easier and more efficient to transfer genes into melon plants.

New genome sequence information of grass peas revealed key biochemical steps on how the plant produces toxins. The data can aid researchers in potentially applying genome editing tools on grass pea to make it less or non-toxic and become an alternative crop with natural resilience to flood and drought for farmers.

The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) used NGT-CRISPR-Cas targeted mutation to produce low-gluten, celiac-safe wheat that will help individuals with gluten intolerance. The policy report shared the advantages of this product when it becomes available in the market. The GM gluten-free wheat products will be cheaper for people that follow a celiac-safe diet. The products can also eliminate the undesirable consequences of a gluten-free diet. Other advantages include the increase in income for the EU farmers and the boost in export volumes that will benefit the EU agri-food system.

Scientists at the University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) created a system that uses CRISPR technology to terminate female mosquitoes that can spread diseases. This has the potential to stop the spreading of malaria across the globe. Malaria is one of the world's deadliest illnesses, which can cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.