Boosting the blue pigments in plants through gene editing could make weeding easier. This is according to the article authored by Pedro Correia and other researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark published in Trends in Plant Science. Climate change rapidly impacts crops, thus the need for various ways to improve the tolerance of plants to stressors, such as weeds. This led the researchers to explore on adding signature traits to crops to be easily recognized by remote sensing.

A study published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal shows that the gene editing of SlEIN4^AA through CRISPR-Cas9 significantly speeds up fruit ripening and increases fruit firmness, which prolongs the shelf life of the fruits. Tomatoes face significant harvest losses due to declining fruit firmness during post-harvest. The researchers pinpoint the ethylene receptor gene SlEIN4 as a crucial gene influencing tomato fruit development and firmness.

Researchers developed a new method to label proteins simultaneously. This technique may have various applications in cell biology and drug discovery. Observation of proteins is essential for different branches of research. Tracking the location of proteins within the cell is necessary to understand and explore their functions. However, this is challenging since the fluorescent labeling must be attached individually to every protein.

The integration of genetically modified (GM) crops into agricultural systems necessitates a comprehensive understanding of public perceptions, legal structures, and ethical challenges. In Africa, only a few of the 54 African countries have approved the cultivation of GM crops. To provide an in-depth understanding of the benefits and difficulties associated with the adoption of GM crops, a review published in GM Crops & Food provides significant insights into the current state of GM crop adoption in Africa.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has released their review of four plants modified using genetic engineering to determine whether they posed an increased plant pest risk as relative to non-modified comparators. APHIS found that these modified plants were unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to other cultivated plants and were not subject to regulation under 7 CFR part 340 and may be safely grown and bred in the United States.

In the past decade, gene editing and other breakthroughs in molecular biology led to new techniques for easing genetic improvement. These techniques do not lead to different results from those that earlier techniques could obtain; they just allow scientists to reach the same results easily, faster, and with increased knowledge/control of the outcome. These techniques are now being discussed globally and many have asked questions about the regulation of gene editing.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today held an official launch here of its Green Cities Initiative, which is already being piloted in Cameroon, with seven municipalities submitting letters of intent to join the initiative. In remarks at the launch event, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu noted that with two thirds of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050 - urban areas are facing major challenges.

A ground-breaking new paper published in Nature Food from the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) exposes a critical gap in our scientific understanding of the foods we eat. It unveils a meticulously curated list of 1,650 nutritionally and culturally diverse foods for biochemical analysis, of which more than 1,000 are not included in any globally recognized food composition databases. Such databases are typically used to issue dietary guidelines and to guide agricultural policies.

Aimed at leveraging the power of drone technology to boost farmers’ productivity and sustainability, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) have launched the Drones4Rice Project during the Inception Workshop held at the IRRI Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna on 16-17 April 2024.

A five-year cooperation agreement between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and CGIAR aims to accelerate and scale agricultural innovations and solutions for the sustainable and inclusive development of agrifood systems in Asia. The agreement was signed at the Asia and the Pacific Food Security Forum 2024, hosted by ADB. CGIAR, the world’s largest publicly-funded agricultural innovation network, will support ADB in identifying and developing future investment opportunities and preparing and implementing investment projects and knowledge programs