CROP BIOTECH UPDATE
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A weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)
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June 17, 2026
In This Week’s Issue:
News
New Breeding Technologies
• AI Model Maps How Gene Switches Control Plant Traits and Crop Stress Response
• CRISPR Boosts Potato Resistance to Late Blight Disease
• European Parliament Approves New Rules for Genomic Techniques in Agriculture
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NEWS
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New Breeding Technologies
AI MODEL MAPS HOW GENE SWITCHES CONTROL PLANT TRAITS AND CROP STRESS RESPONSE
An international research team led by Forschungszentrum Jülich and the IPK Leibniz Institute has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that predicts how regulatory proteins bind to plant DNA to control gene activity. The study, published in Nature Communications, was trained on genomic data from Arabidopsis thaliana and successfully applied to crops such as maize.
The AI model was trained on hundreds of DNA-binding datasets to identify patterns across 46 transcription factor families. “What matters is the surrounding sequence and how signals are arranged together,” said lead author Fritz Forbang Peleke. The model also grouped thousands of genes into 14 broad regulatory clusters linked to shared biological functions and coordinated gene activity.
The findings showed that about one in five of the tested DNA variants likely alter transcription factor binding. “We can now estimate how a single change in a regulatory stretch of DNA alters gene activity and, in turn, an important plant trait,” explains Dr. Jędrzej Szymański, head of the Network Analysis and Modelling research group at the IPK and the Omics Data research group at the Forschungszentrum Jülich. The researchers added that the same model could be transferred to maize, where it identified key heat-stress regulators.
For more information, read the article from Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Scientists at the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) and partners have used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to improve the resistance of potato plants against late blight disease. The study focused on modifying a susceptibility gene, StDND2, as an alternative strategy to strengthen crop resilience and reduce reliance on fungicides in potato production.
The researchers introduced a targeted genetic change in the StDND2 gene using CRISPR-Cas9 and evaluated the edited plants under controlled conditions. The modified plants were produced through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and confirmed using molecular screening. Disease resistance was then assessed through leaf infection assays, where pathogen growth and lesion size were measured after inoculation.
The study found that CRISPR-edited potatoes had about 74% lower disease severity without noticeable growth defects under the tested growth conditions. The researchers concluded that targeting susceptibility genes like StDND2 offers a promising approach to improving late blight resistance, though further testing in later plant generations and field trials is needed to confirm long-term effectiveness.
For more information, read the research article on Frontiers in Plant Science.
The European Parliament has officially adopted new rules to facilitate the use of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) in agriculture, a move aimed at enhancing crop resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness. Under this new framework, NGT-developed plants will be categorized based on the complexity of their genetic modifications. NGT-1 plants with changes achievable through conventional breeding will be treated similarly to conventional crops. NGT-2 plants, which involve more extensive modifications, will remain subject to stricter, existing rules for genetically modified organisms.
A key focus of this regulation is to promote the development of plants that are better equipped to withstand climate change and pests while reducing the need for chemical pesticides. To ensure transparency, NGT-1 products will be listed in a public EU database and clearly labeled, while NGT-2 products will undergo full risk assessment and mandatory labeling. Furthermore, the legislation includes specific safeguards regarding intellectual property. While NGTs can be patented, these protections exclude natural traits to prevent market concentration and ensure that farmers retain rights such as the right to save and replant seeds.
The new rules, which received support as a way to boost European food security and innovation, exclude NGTs from organic production to maintain current standards. Member states will also have the authority to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of NGT-2 plants on their territory. The rules apply to both plants originating in Europe and those imported.
The regulation is set to enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal and will apply two years later.
For more details, read the news article on the European Parliament website.