Researchers Focus On Gene-Editing Technology To Kick-Start Crop Regeneration

High-value food crops that face various impediments in breeding new varieties are getting some attention from a collaboration of researchers using the CRISPR-Combo gene-editing technology.

While gene-editing technology has improved crop breeding and adaptation, the process of re-growing a plant from edited cells is costly, lengthy and unpredictable. Furthermore, this process, referred to as regeneration, is difficult to achieve with existing methods for many popular crops.

The CRISPR process injects RNA into cells to edit genes to promote desired traits in crops. With the CRISPR-Combo system, gene-editing RNA will be combined with RNA that activates genes controlling growth. This will accelerate the cell culturing stage by making the cells more amenable to regeneration. Read More https://today.tamu.edu/2021/09/13/researchers-focus-on-gene-editing-technology-to-kick-start-crop-regeneration/