Biotech Updates

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS)'s Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) has determined that Yield10's Camelina sativa (Camelina) varieties developed using genetic engineering to produce omega-3 fatty acids are not subject to the regulations under 7 CFR part 340, and may be grown and bred in the United States.

Silkworms Engineered for Super Silk

Experts have been trying to modify silkworm genes to create silk with new properties, like spider silk's strength. This goal is faced with numerous challenges, but researchers from Jiangsu University of Science and Technology in China and partners explored using various techniques for genetically engineering silkworms, such as TALENs and transposon-mediated transformation.

Study Models Future Effects of Climate Change on US Corn and Soybean Yields, Production, and Exports

A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) modeled how climate-linked changes in temperatures and precipitation might affect future U.S. corn and soybean yields and what that would mean for markets and trade through the middle of the next decade.

Gene Editing of Edible Fungus Produces Healthier Foods

Researchers developed a gene editing toolkit for a fungus used in making fermented foods. Their research may help broaden the variety of healthy products in the market.