Grainswest - Fall 2023

Fall 2023 Grains West 40 FEATURE T he Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently approved gene editing for use in breeding new crop varieties. Plant breeders will now be able to apply the technology to their work. Gene editing has the potential to quickly develop new varieties with greater accuracy in targeting traits such as drought and disease resistance. The agronomic and trade implications are promising for farmers. “Gene editing is one of the best things to happen to crop breeding in a very long time,” said Jaswinder Singh, associate professor at the McGill University Department of Plant Science. Unlike GMOs, gene editing does not involve the introduction of new genetic material, which has made it less controversial with consumers than GMO technology. CRISPR is the main gene editing tool now in use. It allows scientists to locate and alter specific DNA segments within plant cells or turn them on or off. BY GEOFF GEDDES THE ROI ON DNA Gene editing a game changer for farmers Researcher Jaswinder Singh (left) said gene editing can be used to make major strides in crop breeding. Photo: Courtesy of Jaswinder Singh