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

Displaying 70 results

Traits related to improved food/feed quality

Increased amylose content. Cereals high in amylose content (AC) and resistant starch (RS) offer potential health benefits and reduce risks of diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and certain colon and rectum cancers.
( Sun et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
University of California, USA
University of Liege, Belgium
Improved seed protein content.
( Shen et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Corteva Agriscience
University of Arizona, USA
Increased amylose content in the seeds, thus a lower Glycemic Index (GI) value. Low GI rice is preferred to avoid a sudden rise in glucose in the bloodstream. Starch with a high GI threatens healthy individuals to get diabetes type II and proves extremely harmful for existing diabetes type II patients.
( Jameel et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Jamia Millia Islamia
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, India
King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Increased digestibility and protein quality. Reduced kafirin levels. Kafirins are the major storage proteins in sorghum grains and form protein bodies with poor digestibility. Kafirins are devoid of the essential amino acid lysine, they also impart poor protein quality to the kernel.
( Li et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Nebraska
University of Missouri, 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
Promoted phenolic acid biosynthesis. Salvia is tradional Chinese medicine with great medical value to treat cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. Phenolic acids make up a big part of the bioactive compounds.
( Shi et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
East China University of Science and Technology
Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
Glossy phenotype. Reduced epicuticular wax in leaves.
( Char et al., 2015 )
SDN1
TALENs
Iowa State University, USA
Carotenoid-enriched. Carotenoids, the source of pro vitamin A, are an essential component of dietary antioxidants.
( Dong et al., 2020 )
SDN3
CRISPR/Cas
University of California
Innovative Genomics Institute
The Joint Bioenergy Institute, 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
High oleic and low linolenic oil to improve nutritional characteristics, increase shelf-life and frying stability.
( Demorest et al., 2016 )
SDN1
TALENs
Cellectis plant science Inc.
Calyxt, USA
Improve glutinosity in elite varieties. Decreased amylose content without affecting other desirable agronomic traits.
( Zhang et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Purdue University
University of Queensland, USA
Amylose-free starch in tubers.
( Toinga-Villafuerte et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Texas A&
M University, USA
Attenuated toxic cyanogen production. Cassava produces toxic cyanogenic compounds and requires food processing for safe consumption.
( Gomez et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
Chan-Zuckerberg BioHub, USA
High-quality sugar production by rice (98% sucrose content). Carbohydrates are an essential energy-source. Sugarcane and sugar beet were the only two crop plants used to produce sugar.
( Honma et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China
Faculty of Engineering
Kitami Institute of Technology
NagoyaUniversity
Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
Carnegie Institution for Science, USA
High levels of beta-carotene accumulation.
( Lu et al., 2006 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cornell University
University of Minnesota, USA
β-conglycinin deficiency, which lowers allergenicity and increases nutritional value.
( Song et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Northeast Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology of the Chinese Education Ministry
Harbin Normal University
Keshan Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Jilin Agricultural University, China
USDA Agricultural Research Service
University of Missouri, USA
Increased RS. Cereals high in RS may be beneficial to improve human health and reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
( Biswas et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Texas A&
M Univ.
Avance Biosciences Inc., USA
Enhancing the accumulation of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, essential components of a healthy, balanced diet.
( Han et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Rothamsted Research, UK
Montana State University, USA
Reduced grain chalkiness.
( Gann et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cell and Molecular Biology Program
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA
Low polyunsaturated fats content. Soybean oil is high in polyunsaturated fats and is often partially hydrogenated. The trans-fatty acids produced through hydrogenation pose a health threat.
( Haun et al., 2014 )
SDN1
TALENs
Cellectis plant sciences Inc., USA
High-oleic acid content. Oleic acid has increased oxidative stability compared to linolenic and linoleic acid, improving fuel stability and the oil's suitability for high-temperature food applications, for example frying.
( Jarvis et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Illinois State University
University of North Texas
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
Reduce malnutrition by decreasing antinutrient phytic acid (PA) and increasing Iron and Zinc accumulation. PA has adverse effects on essential mineral absorption and thus is considered as an anti-nutritive for monogastric animals.
( Ibrahim et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad
National Agricultural Research Centre, Pakistan
Improved starch quality. Reduced amylopectin and increased amylose percentage.
( Wang et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences
Shanghai Sanshu Biotechnology Co. LTD
Chinese Academy of Science, China
University of Kentucky, USA
Decreases in palmitic acid, increased total C18 and reduced total saturated fatty acid contents. Reduced saturated fat content is connected to lowered cardiovascular disease rate.
( Gupta et al., 2012 )
SDN1
ZFN
Dow AgroSciences
Sangamo BioSciences, USA
Increased grain number per spikelet.
( Zhang et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Missouri
South Dakota State University
University of California
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA
University of Bristol, UK
Modified composition: accumulation of fivefold more starch than WT leaves, and more sucrose as well. Architectural changes
(Bezrutczyk et al., 2018)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany
Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Science, USA
Increased grain weight and grain size. Carbohydrate and total protein levels also increased.
( Guo et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Sichuan Agricultural University, China
University of California, USA
Reduced content of trypsin inhibitors, one of the most abundant anti-nutritional factors in soybean seeds. Reduction of trypsin inhibitors leads to improved. digestibility of soybean meal.
( Wang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Virginia Tech, USA
Reduced raffinose family oligosaccharide (RFO) levels in seeds. Human and other monogastric animals cannot digest major soluble carbohydrates, RFOs.
( Le et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam
University of Missouri, USA
Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research
Germany
Reduced phytate production + herbicide tolerance. Generation of a dual phenotype through targeted manipulation of a single locus.
( Shukla et al., 2009 )
SDN3
ZFN
Dow AgroScience, USA
Reduces phytic acid (anti-nutrient) and improves iron and zinc accumulation in wheat grains. Biofortification.
( Ibrahim et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad
National Agricultural Research Centre, Pakistan
Increased sucrose content.
( Ren et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Beijing Key Laboratory of Vegetable Germplasm Improvement
Capital Normal University
China Agricultural University, China
Cornell University
Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USA
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 iron content in potato plants. Iron is an essential micronutrient.
( Chauhan et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Panjab University
Panjab University
National Institute of Plant Genome Research, India
University of Minnesota, USA
Reduced gluten content. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered in genetically predisposed individuals by the ingestion of gluten proteins.
( Sánchez-León,et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IASCSIC), Spain
University of Minnesota, USA
Ultra-low nicotine level
( Burner et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
North Carolina State University, USA
Altered lignin composition: decreased syringyl monolignol / guaiacylmonolignol (S/G) ratio. The monolignol ratio has been proposed to affect biomass recalcitrance and the resistance to plant disease.
(Cao et al., 2021)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
SouthwestUniversity, China
University of Wisconsin, 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
High oleic, low linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid phenotype. High concentration of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids causes oxidative instability.
( Do et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Missouri, USA
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam
Alteration of the inositol phosphate profile in developing seeds.
( Shukla et al., 2009 )
SDN1
ZFN
Dow AgroSciences
Sangamo BioSciences, USA
Improved cold storage and processing traits: lower levels of reduced sugars
(Yasmeen et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of the Punjab, Pakistan
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
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
Increased lysine content with recovered kernel hardness. Lysine is considered of great nutritional importance in animal feeds and human foods.
( Hurst et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Center for Plant Science Innovation
University of Missouri-Columbia, USA
Improvement of starch quality.
( Wang et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Science

Shanghai Sanshu Biotechnology Co.
LTD, China
University of Kentucky, USA

Traits related to industrial utilization

Bio-fuel production: Reduced lignin content and improved sugar release.
(Park et al., 2017)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Noble Research Institute, USA
Male sterility.
( Djukanovic et al., 2013 )

I-CreI
DuPont/Pioneer Agricultural Biotechnology
Precision Biosciences, USA
Bioethanol production: Improved saccharification efficiency without compromising biomass yield.
(Kannan et al., 2017)
SDN1
TALENs
University of Florida
Novozymes North America Inc, USA
Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), South Korea
Generate self-compatible diploid potato lines for the application of efficient breeding methods.
( Eggers et al., 2021 )
SDN3
CRISPR/Cas
Solynta
Wageningen University &
Research, The Netherlands
Stem wood discoloration due to lignin reduction.
( Zhou et al., 2015 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Georgia, USA
Modified wood composition with traits desirable for fiber pulping and lower carbon emissions. The edited wood could bring efficiencies, bioeconomic opportunities and environmental benefits.
( Sulis et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
North Carolina State University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
Beihua University
Northeast Forestry University, China
Early heading: in regions with short growing seasons, early maturing varieties to escape frost damage are required.
(Sohail et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China National Rice Research Institute
Northern Center of China National Rice Research Institute
Zhejiang A&
F University, China
Mir Chakar Khan Rind University
Agriculture Research System Khyber, Pakistan
Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh
Agriculture Research Center, Egypt
Bio-fuel production: Reduced lignin content, improves cell wall composition for production of bio-ethanol.
(Jung et al., 2016)
SDN1
TALENs
Korea University, South Korea
University of Florida, USA
Asexual propagation trough seeds. Induction of apomeiosis, mitosis instead of meiosis. This proces leads to the production of genetically identical seeds, serving many applications in plant breeding.
( Khanday et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California
Innovative Genomics Institute
Iowa State University, USA
Université Paris-Saclay, France
Enhanced biological nitrogen fixation to reduce the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers. Enhanced biofilm formation of soil diazotrophic bacteria by modified root microbiome structure.
( Yan et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of California
Bayer Crop Science, USA
Increasing cross over frequency. Cross over formation during meiosis is essential for crop breeding to introduce favourable alleles controlling important traits from wild relatives into crops.
( de Maagd et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Wageningen University &
Research, The Netherlands
Trait stacking. Modern agriculture demands crops carrying multiple traits.
( Ainley et al., 2013 )
SDN1
ZFN
Dow AgroSciences LLC
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc., USA
Generating male sterility lines (MLS). Using MLS in hybrid seed production for monoclinous crops reduces costs and ensures high purity of the varieties because it does not produce pollen and has exserted stigmas.
( Svitashev et al., 2015 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
DuPont Pioneer, USA
Induction of haploid plants and a reduced seed set for rice breeding.
( Yao et al., 2018 )
SDN2
CRISPR/Cas
ZhongGuanCun Life Science Park, China
Syngenta India Limited
Technology Centre
Medchal Mandal, India
Syngenta Crop Protection
LLC
Research Triangle Park, USA
Enhanced oil accumulation in the seed.
( Cai et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Stony Brook University
Montana State University, USA
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
Establishment of maternal haploid induction. Doubled haploid technology is used to obtain homozygous lines in a single generation. This technique significantly accelerates the crop breeding trajectory.
( Zhong et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University, China
Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
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
Rapid generation of male sterile (MS) bread wheat. MS is an important tool in creating hybrid crop varieties that provide a yield advantage over traditional varieties by harnessing heterosis.
( Singh et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
DuPont Pioneer, USA
Generate self-compatible diploid potato lines for the application of efficient breeding methods.
( Enciso-Rodriguez et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Michigan State University, USA
Rubber biosynthesis. To accelerate the domestication of Taraxacum kok-saghyz (TK), a plant notable for its ability to produce high molecular weight rubber in its roots and which might be an alternative source of natural rubber.
( Iaffaldano et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, USA
Establishment of maternal haploid induction. Doubled haploid technology is used to obtain homozygous lines in a single generation. This technique significantly accelerates the crop breeding trajectory.
( Zhong et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University, China
Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
Reduced lignin content and S (syringyl lignin)/G (guaiacyl lignin) (S/G) ratio alteration to reduce cell wall recalcitrance and improve bioethanol production. Lignin is a major component of secondary cell walls and contributes to the recalcitrance problem during fermentation.
( Park et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
BioEnergy Science Center
University of Tennessee, USA
Accumulate low levels of alkaloids. Nicotine is the most abundant alkaloid produced in tobacco plants. Switching to cigarettes containing levels of nicotine below the level of sustaining an addiction response will smoke less and/or find it easier to quit. Possibly, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may mandate such reductions in future cigarette products.
( Smith et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
North Carolina State University, USA
Complete reproductive sterility to prevent the spread of highly domesticated, exotic or genetically modified organisms into wild populations.
( Azeez et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Michigan Technological University, USA