Posts by biotech_admin
37 Nobel laureates and 1,500 researchers are calling for relaxation of EU gene editing regulations
As regulations on genetic technology are now to be reassessed in both Norway and the EU, researchers are hoping for a more scientific and evidence-based approach to the law. Recently, 37 Nobel laureates and 1,500 researchers signed an open letter to the EU Parliament, where they requested less strict regularions for the use of genetic technology.…
Read MoreViewpoint: Two dozen gene-edited crop field trials set to begin later this year in England ‘could have major benefits’
Later this year gene-edited crops will be planted at about two dozen commercial farms across England for the first time to see how plants previously confined to the laboratory and glasshouse will fare in real-world conditions. No other European nation is conducting such trials because the European Union treats gene-editing the same as it does…
Read MoreEU Parliament: A Positive Vote for Innovation and Plant Breeding
The European Parliament’s vote in support of new genomic techniques, marks a significant step forward for agricultural innovation and sustainability in Europe, according to a press release from Euroseeds. The plenary vote backed the “adoption of these cutting-edge technologies, recognizing their potential to revolutionize farming practices while ensuring food security and environmental stewardship.” The European Parliament’s affirmative…
Read MoreTomatoes ready for harvest in 40 days? Gene edited prototypes could transform one of the world’s most popular fruits
Scientists have just genetically modified cherry tomatoes to make them easier to grow, and the future applications could include making them more viable for indoor farming and even space travel, their creators say. The scientists, working out of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, used a gene-editing technology called CRISPR to make changes to three key genes within the cherry tomatoes’ DNA. Two…
Read MoreDisease is poised to wipe out much of Africa’s rice crop. Still-unapproved gene edited varietals may be the only hope
A new study has found that CRISPR technology can be used to edit genes in some strains of rice, developing resistance. Rice is a key staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 60% of rice produced consumed there. However, the Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) causes a disease that has the propensity to wipe out…
Read MoreUK company creates bananas that don’t turn brown
Bananas turning brown is a natural process that occurs over time as the fruit overripens and produces too much ethylene. The turning of yellow pigments to brown is called enzymatic browning and is aided by high amounts of ethylene. While there have been no known health issues arising from eating bananas that have turned brown,…
Read MoreHow China’s GMO rice is making salinated land arable for cotton and other seasonal crops
On the rim of Xinjiang’s desert, in a region where the soil is so salty that most vegetation refuses to grow, China is touting rising outputs of salt-tolerant rice as further evidence that its food-security drive has taken root. Beijing expects rising yields of genetically modified crops, especially in remote and rural areas where arable…
Read MoreAnother GMO approval: Philippines approves commercial growing of Bt insect resistant cotton
The Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry issued a Biosafety Permit for the Commercial Propagation of Bt cotton (GFM cry1A) developed by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA). The permit was granted to PhilFIDA after completion of the biosafety evaluation and the requirements for commercial propagation based on the DOST-DA-DENR-DOH-DILG Joint Department Circular (JDC) No. 1, Series of…
Read MoreViewpoint: Half of America admits they don’t know much about GMOs. That’s a problem
Do you know what genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are? Could you explain it clearly to a twelve-year-old? If your answer to these questions is “no,” you’re not alone. In a survey of Americans, 48 percent said they know “very little” about GMOs, and 16 percent said they know “nothing at all.” Eighty-one percent of Polish students…
Read MoreBangladesh starts growing genetically-modified cotton
The variety, Bt cotton, will increase local cotton production by 7.5 times THE DAILEY STAR Tuesday, August 29, 2023 Bangladesh has started cultivation of genetically-modified (GM) cotton for the first time this year to boost yields and cut import dependence of the raw materials of yarn, a top official of the Cotton Development Board (CDB)…
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