AI-Designed Gene Editing Creates Rice Plants Resistant to Bacterial Blight

Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed rice plants resistant to bacterial blight, a devastating disease that threatens rice production and farmers' livelihoods, particularly in Asia and Africa. The breakthrough could help protect harvests and provide new approaches for developing crops that withstand diseases and other environmental stresses.

Led by Bing Yang, a Curators' Distinguished Professor at the university's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, the team adapted OpenCRISPR-1, an artificial intelligence-designed gene-editing tool for use in rice. The tool allows researchers to make targeted changes to DNA and was previously demonstrated in animal cells. Yang noted that OpenCRISPR-1's open-source access gives researchers and companies greater flexibility to develop gene-edited crops without commercial licensing restrictions.

The findings, published in aBIOTECH, demonstrate the tool's potential for gene editing in rice. However, the plants must undergo further testing and regulatory review before commercial use. “Our recent breakthrough paves the way to explore genetic solutions to a range of challenges that farmers face across Missouri and nationwide, from devastating plant diseases to drought and extreme temperatures,” Yang said.

For more information, read the article from the University of Missouri.