Experts Use CRISPR-Cas12i3 to Improve Elite Corn Line

Researchers from the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences reported the use of CRISPR-Cas12i3 to speed up the improvement of Jing 724, a foundational maize variety previously known for being hard to modify due to some genetic restrictions. Their findings are published as a pre-proof in aBiotech.

The team incorporated two growth-booster genes, namely Baby boom (Bbm) and Wuschel (Wus2), to override the plant's natural resistance to laboratory regeneration. Furthermore, they used a sugar-based selection method to boost the success rates by 30% compared with the conventional chemical methods. This combination of methods led to a reduced breeding period of just 60 days from 90 days.

To verify the efficacy of the new system, the researchers used CRISPR to target particular maize traits such as sweetness and texture. These steps led to an improved version of Jing 724 that is sweet, waxy, or a combination of both, with high precision and success rates. Tests confirmed the changes in sugar and starch content compared with the unmodified plants. Thus, the study confirms the successful development of an “all-in-one” toolkit for rapid development of high-quality, customized corn varieties for the market.

Read the research article for more details.