Genome-editing techniques are promising tools in plant breeding. To facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the use of genome editing, EU-SAGE developed an interactive, publicly accessible online database of genome-edited crop plants as described in peer-reviewed scientific publications.
The aim of the database is to inform interested stakeholder communities in a transparent manner about the latest evidence about the use of genome editing in crop plants. Different elements including the plant species, traits, techniques, and applications can be filtered in this database.
Regarding the methodology, a literature search in the bibliographic databases and web pages of governmental agencies was conducted using predefined queries in English. Identifying research articles in other languages was not possible due to language barriers. Patents were not screened.
Peer-reviewed articles were screened for relevance and were included in the database based on pre-defined criteria. The main criterium is that the research article should describe a research study of any crop plant in which a trait has been introduced that is relevant from an agricultural and/or food/feed perspective. The database does neither give information on the stage of development of the crop plant, nor on the existence of the intention to develop the described crop plants to be marketed.
This database will be regularly updated. Please contact us via the following webpage in case you would like to inform us about a new scientific study of crops developed for market-oriented agricultural production as a result of genome editing

Genome Editing Technique

Displaying 49 results

Traits related to biotic stress tolerance

Fungal resistance: resistance to Oidium neolycopersici, causing powdery mildew.
(Nekrasov et al., 2017)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Germany
Norwich Research Park, UK
Effective detection of a resistance-breaking strain of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). TSWV causes a great threat to various food crops globally and can cause devastating epidemics.
( Shymanovich et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
North Carolina State University, USA
Resistance to parasitic weed: Phelipanche aegyptiaca. The obligate root parasitic plant causes great damages to important crops and represents one of the most destructive and greatest challenges for the agricultural economy.
(Bari et al., 2021)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Central University of Punjab, India
Newe Ya’ar Research Center
Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Israel
Fungal resistance: improved resistance to necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea.
(Jeon et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Stanford University, UK
L’Oreal, France
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA
Bacterial resistance: resistance against bacterial spot disease, caused by Xanthomonas species, which could be a devastating to tomato as well as pepper.
(Ortega et al., 2024)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California
University of Florida, USA
Viral resistance: enhanced resistance against chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus (CpCDV). The range of symptoms caused by CpCDV varies from mosaic pattern to streaks to leaf curling and can include browning of the collar region and stunting, foliar chlorosis and necrosis.
(Munir Malik et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of the Punjab
University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Washington State University, USA
Resistance to parasitic weed: Phelipanche aegyptiaca. The obligate root parasitic plant causes great damages to important crops and represents one of the most destructive and greatest challenges for the agricultural economy.
(Bari et al., 2019)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Newe Ya’ar Research Center,
Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Israel
University of California, USA
Pospiviroids detection method. Pospiviroids are a major production constraint.
( Zhai et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Washington State University
USDA-ARS, USA
Viral resistance: resistance to potyvirus potato virus Y (PVY), which causes serious yield loss.
(Kumar et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Agricultural Research Organization, Israel
Bacterial resistance: resistance to different pathogens including Xanthomonas spp., P. syringae and P. capsici.
(de Toledo Thomazella et al., 2016)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California, USA
Increased basal immunity and broad spectrum disease resistance.
( Leibman-Markus et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Volcani Institute
Tel Aviv University, Israel
Viral resistance: partial resistance to Pepper veinal mottle virus (PVMV) isolate IC, with plants harboring weak symptoms and low virus loads at the systemic level.
(Moury et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
INRA, France
Université de Tunis El-Manar
Université de Carthage, Tunisia
Université Felix Houphouët-Boigny, Cote d’Ivoire
Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, Burkina Faso

Traits related to abiotic stress tolerance

Modulate aluminium resistance. Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the main factor inhibiting plant root development and reducing crops yield in acidic soils.
( Zhang et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences
China Agricultural University, China
University of California, USA
Increased drought tolerance: suppresses xylem vessel proliferation, leading to lower water conductance, and reduced water-loss under water-deficit conditions.
(Illouz-Eliaz et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture
The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Traits related to improved food/feed quality

Lower oil content and altered fatty acid composition. Most commercially produced oil seeds synthesize only a relatively small range of fatty acids, offering limited functionality.
( Aznar-Moreno et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Kansas State University, USA
Increased levels of oleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Camelina is a low-input oilseed crop. It is necessary to ameloriate fatty acid composition in oils to meet different application requirements.
( Ozseyhan et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Montana State University, USA
Large parthenocarpic fruits. Parthenocarpy, also known as seedless fruits, is preferred by consumers and it ensures consistent fruit yield in variable environmental conditions.
( Hu et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Duke University, USA
Enhanced oil composition. Increased oleic acid content and significant decreases in the less desirable polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (i.e. a decrease from ~16% to <4%) and linolenic acid (a decrease from ~35% to <10%).
( Jiang et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Nebraska
University of California, USA
Increased sugar and amino acid content leading to improved fruit quality.
( Nguyen et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology
Food Industries Research Institute, Vietnam
University of Missouri, USA
High fruit malate accumulation. Malate is a primary organic acid in tomato and a crucial compound that contributes to fruit flavor and palatability.
( Ye et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Huazhong Agricultural University, China
Cornell University, USA
Parthenocarpy: seedless tomato. Industrial purposes and direct eating quality.
(Klap et al., 2016)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Agricultural Research Organization, Israel

Traits related to increased plant yield and growth

Promote growth of axillary buds. Lateral branches develop from the axillary buds. The number of side branches is very important to plant architecture, which influences the yield and quality of the plant.
( Li et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Guizhou University
Northwest A&
F University
Shandong Agricultural University
Northeast Agricultural University
Shanxi University, China
Oxford University
University of Bedfordshire, UK
Customize tomato cultivars for urban agriculture: increased compactness and decreased growth cycle of tomato plants.
(Kwon et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cornell University
University of Florida, USA
Wonkwang University, South Korea
Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Early flowering. Day-light sensitivity limited the geographical range of cultivation.
( Soyk et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA
Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany
Université Paris-Scalay, France
Combine agronomically desirable traits with useful traits present in wild lines. Threefold increase in fruit size and a tenfold increase in fruit number. Fruit lycopene accumulation is improved by 500% compared with the widely cultivated S. lycopersicum.
( Zsögön et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Universidade Federal de Viçosa
Universidade de São Paulo Paulo, Brazil
University of Minnesota, USA
Universität Münster, Germany
Bigger seedlings.
( Lor et al., 2014 )
SDN1
TALENs
University of Minnesota, USA
Shortened plant architecture and jointless pedicel without affecting the yield. This plant architecture can allow ground cultivation systems that do not require the support of stakes and ties and could be ultimately suitable for once-over mechanical harvesting.
( Lee et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Florida, USA
Early flowering phenotype with no adverse effect on yield.
( Shang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Huazhong Agricultural University
Hubei Hongshan Laboratory
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
University of Nottingham, UK
Increase in floral organ number or fruit size, conferring enhanced tomato fruit yield.
( Rodriguez-Leal et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Increased fruit size. Highly branched inflorescence and formation of multiple flowers.
( Rodri­guez-Leal et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Regulated sepal growth
( Xing et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhejiang University, China
University of Nottingham, UK
Plant development. Phenotypes consistent with increased GA response: tall and slender with light green vegetation.
(Lor et al., 2014)
SDN1
TALENs
University of Minnesota, USA
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Dwarf phenotype. Tomatoes with compact growth habits and reduced plant height can be useful in some environments.
( Tomlinson et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Norwich Research Park, UK
University of Minnesota, USA

Traits related to industrial utilization

Hairy root transformation. Hairy roots play a role in multiple processes, ranging from recombinant protein production and metabolic engineering to analyses of rhizosphere physiology and biochemistry.
( Ron et al., 2014 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California
Emory University, USA
University of Cambridge, UK
Accelerated abscission. Plant organ abscission is a process important for development and reproductive success,
( Liu et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Shenyang Agricultural University
Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture of Ministry of Education, China
University of California at Davis
Crops Pathology and Genetic Research Unit, USA
Enhanced oil accumulation in the seed.
( Cai et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Stony Brook University
Montana State University, USA

Traits related to herbicide tolerance

Chlorsulfuron resistance.
( Huang et al., 2023 )

BE
University of Florida, USA

Traits related to product color/flavour

Increased content of phenylacetaldehyde, sucrose and fructose, which are major contributors to flavor in many foods, including tomato.
( Li et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Florida, USA
Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany
Colour modification. Purple tomatoes.
( Cermak et al., 2015 )
SDN2
TALENs
University of Minnesota, USA
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic
Yellow and orange fruit color.
( Dahan-Meir et al., 2018 )
SDN2
CRISPR/Cas
Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Colour modification. Purple tomatoes.
( Cermak et al., 2015 )
SDN2
CRISPR/Cas
University of Minnesota, USA
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic
Fruit color: tangerine
(Ben Shlush et al., 2021)
SDN2
CRISPR/Cas
The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Traits related to storage performance

Delayed fruit ripening.
( Li et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanjing Agricultural University, China
University of Connecticut, USA
Delayed fruit ripening.
( Lang et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Purdue University, USA
Altering tomato fruit ripening and softening, key traits for fleshy fruit. During ripening, fruit will gradually soften which is largely the result of fruit cell wall degradation. Softening may improve the edible quality of fruit but also reduces fruit resistance to pathogenic microorganisms. Fruit softening can cause mechanical damage during storage and transportation as well, which can reduce the storage and shelf life, leading to fruit loss.
( Gao et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University
South China Agricultural University
Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University
Zhejiang University
Beijing University of Agriculture, China
University of Nottingham, UK
Decreased postharvest water loss with a 17–30% increase in wax accumulation.
( Chen et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
University of Nottingham, UK
Improved shelf-life by targeting the genes modulating pectin degradation in ripening tomato.
( Wang et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of London
University of Leicester
University of Nottingham
University of Leeds, UK
International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
University of California, USA
Improved shelf-life with improved or not affected sugar: acid ratio, aroma volatiles, and skin color.
(Ortega-Salazar et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California, USA
Zhejiang Normal University, China
University of Nottingham, UK
Controlling the rate of fruit softening to extend shelf life.
( Uluisik et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Nottingham
Royal Holloway University of London
Heygates Ltd
Syngenta Seeds
Sutton Bonington Campus, UK
Syngenta Crop Protection
University of California
Cornell University
Skidmore College, USA