Gene Editing Enhances Barley’s Grain Storability and Nutritional Value

Researchers from Hangzhou Normal University and Zhejiang University in China successfully improved the grain storability and nutritional content of barley by targeting key lipoxygenase (LOX) genes through CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Their findings show that silencing specific LOX genes leads to significantly improved grain longevity, higher fatty acid content, and better seedling growth after storage.

The study identified five LOX genes in the barley genome, with HvLOXC1 and HvLOXA showing higher expression in developing grains and embryos, respectively. Using CRISPR-Cas9, the researchers generated transgene-free barley mutants targeting loxB, loxC1, and a double mutant loxAloxC1. All mutants exhibited normal growth characteristics, but the loxAloxC1 double mutant showed a 94% reduction in LOX activity and a 10–21% increase in fatty acid content compared to wild-type plants.

The researchers concluded that the loxAloxC1 mutants demonstrated superior storability marked by higher germination rates and reduced lipid peroxidation. The study highlights HvLOXA as a key gene regulating LOX enzyme activity and grain viability. The success of developing transgene-free, gene-edited barley offers a promising method to create commercially valuable varieties with enhanced resilience and quality.

For more information, read the study from GM Crops & Food.