Crop Biotech Update

May 19, 2021

TALENs and Other Molecular Tools to Help Prevent the Next Plant Pandemic

In the last 100 years, there have been over a dozen plant pandemics that affected key food crops. With the rapidly increasing world population and the massive impact of climate change, failing to innovate ways to make crops resilient to diseases can make millions go hungry, according to 2Blades Foundation's video titled The Work of Our Lives.

Scientists Encouraged to Invest Time for Science Communication

Time devoted to science communication is a valuable investment that can have a tremendous societal impact, according to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Assistant Professor Esther Ngumbi. The statement was discussed in A Comprehensive Guide on Science Communication edited by Fani Kelesidou and Eclodie Chabrol and published by Hindawi.

Australia's GEd Chickens to Help Improve Agriculture and Pharmaceuticals

ISAAA launched the first webinar of the series of the Asia Oceania Regional Animal Biotech Webinar with a focus on gene editing in poultry. The webinar featured CRISPR applications to develop chickens with special traits that may eventually improve poultry production for meat and eggs, and generate biologicals for medicine.

Japan Updates Genome Editing Handling Procedures for Feed and Feed Additives

Following a public comment period that closed on March 5, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) amended the handling procedures for feed and feed additive products derived from the crossbreeding of genome-edited varieties previously notified to MAFF with conventional varieties, other previously notified genome-edited varieties, and genetically engineered products for which MAFF has granted feed safety approval.

COVID-19 ALERTS

Previous Dengue Infection Increases COVID-19 Risk

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

PLANT BREEDING INNOVATIONS

GM APPROVAL UPDATES

The USA approved sugarcane event CTC91087-6 for food and feed.
The USA approved maize event DBN9858 for food and feed.
The USA approved potato event Gen2-Z6 for food and feed.
The USA approved cotton MON88702 for cultivation.
The USA approved petunia event A1-DFR for cultivation.
The USA approved maize event PY203 for cultication.

Visit GM APPROVAL DATABASE

The Crop Biotech Update is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a non-for-profit organization. The CBU is distributed for free to over 23,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in agricultural biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.

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