A weekly summary of the world developments in agri-biotech, produced by the ISAAA Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology.
Crop Biotech Update
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April 30, 2025

Researchers Develop Transgene-free Edited Banana
Researchers from KU Leuven and the University of Liège developed a transgene-free edited banana using an Agrobacterium-mediated base editing approach. The study, published in New Phytologist, combines embryogenesis and chlorsulfuron selection to develop the edited plants.

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Field Trials of Bt Cowpea Reveal Effective Resistance to Pest in Ghana
Cowpea, an important crop in sub-Saharan Africa, faces devastating yield losses exceeding 80% because of the legume pod borer (LPB), Maruca vitrata. Cowpea varieties lack natural resistance to this particular pest, and conventional insecticides are often ineffective. Thus, a genetically modified (GM) cowpea (Sampea 20-T in Nigeria and Songotra T in Ghana) was developed to express the cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), providing effective resistance to LPB.

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USDA-APHIS Designates Cibus' Disease Resistance Traits for Gene-Edited Canola as Not Regulated
Cibus Inc., an agricultural technology company, has announced that two of its disease resistance trait products under development for canola have been designated as not regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS).

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Transgenic Cowpea Confers Insect Resistance and Herbicide Tolerance
A study published in Pest Management Science found that the genetically engineered cowpea line CAP5, expressing a fusion of Cry1Ab-Vip3A and CP4-EPSPS genes, demonstrated strong resistance against major lepidopteran pests and high tolerance to glyphosate. The findings of the study demonstrate the potential of developing insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant cowpea events.

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Gene Drive Supplement
A biweekly update on gene editing research, regulations, and impact
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A monthly update on gene drive research and development provided by ISAAA in collaboration with the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research

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GM APPROVAL UPDATES
  • The Philippines approved the canola event LBFLFK for food, feed, and processing.
  • The Philippines approved the cotton event GFM cry1A for commercial cultivation.
  • Brazil approved the wheat event HB4 for commercial cultivation.
  • The Philippines approved the soybean event GMB 151 for food, feed, and processing.
  • The Philippines approved the eggplant event EE-1 for cultivation
  • The USA approved the canola event MON94100  for food and feed.

Visit GM APPROVAL DATABASE
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.

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