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 73 results

Traits related to abiotic stress tolerance

Drought tolerance and abscisic acid sensitivity.
( Lou et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Potassium deficiency tolerance and contribution to stomatal closure.
( Mao et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University
Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
National Center of Rice Improvement of China
National Engineering Laboratory of Rice
South Base of National Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice of China, China
Salt tolerance.
( Duan et al,. 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Arsenic (As) tolerance. As is toxic to organisms and elevated As accumulation may pose health risks to humans.
( Duan et al., 2015 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Enhanced responses to abscisic acid (ABA), which plays an important role in drought stress responses in plants. Improved drought tolerance through stomatal regulation and increased primary root growth under non-stressed conditions.
( Ogata et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS)
RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Enhanced resistance to salt and oxidative stress and increased grain yield.
( Alfatih et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Drought and salt tolerance.
( Kumar et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute
Bhartidasan University, India
Improved yield and cold tolerance. High yield and high cold tolerance were often antagonistic to each other.
( Zeng et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, China
Drought tolerance.
( Zhao et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Hebei Normal University
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Curled leaf phenotype and improved drought tolerance.
( Liao et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Guangxi University
South China Agricultural University, China
Enhanced the tolerance of plants to salt (NaCl), the stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA), dehydration and polyethylene glycol (PEG) stresses.
( Yue et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University
Hunan Agricultural University, China
Drought tolerance by modulating lignin accumulation in roots.
( Bang et al, 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Seoul National University, South Korea
Salinity tolerance. Salinity stress is one of the most important abiotic stress factors affecting rice production worldwide.
( Lim et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Kangwon National University
Sangji University
Kyung Hee University, South Korea
Enhanced salinity tolerance.
( Zhang et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Huazhong Agricultural University
Shanghai Agrobiological Gene Center, China
Enhances adaptation to direct-seeding on wet land and tolerance to drought stress in rice. Water stress is the most important factor limiting rice agriculture by either floods or drought.
( Zhang et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Huazhong Agricultural University
Shanghai Agrobiological Gene Center, China
Increased tolerance to salinity stress. Improved rice yields in saline paddy fields by root angle modifications to adapt to climate change.
( Kitomi et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)
Tohoku University
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Advanced Analysis Center
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan
More tolerant to chilling stress: increased survival rate, decreased membrane permeability, and reduced lipid peroxidation.
(Xu et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Henan University of Science and Technology
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Improved salt stress resistance. Significant increase in the shoot weight, the total chlorophyll content, and the chlorophyll fluorescence under salt stress. Also high antioxidant activities coincided with less reactive oxygen species (ROS).
( Shah Alam et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University, China
Taif University, Saudi Arabia
Alexandria University, Egypt
Better salinity tolerance.
( Ma et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Nanjing Agricultural University, China
Chilling tolerance.
( Zhang et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Jilin University, China
Improved rice growth with increased plant height, biomass, and chlorophyll content but with a lower degree of oxidative injury and Cd accumulation.
( Cao et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanjing Agricultural University
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Salt tolerance during the seedling stage.
( Chen et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Huazhong Agriculture University
Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China
Improved drought tolerance and yield.
( Usman et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Guangxi University
South China Agricultural University, China
Improved salinity tolerance.
( Wang et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Taiwan University, Taiwan
University of North Carolina, USA
Reduced uptake of lead (Pb). Lead is one of the most toxic metals affecting human health globally and food is an important source of chronic Pb exposure in humans.
( Chang et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanjing Agricultural University, China
Increased water-deficit tolerance.
( Lv et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chongqing University, China
Reduced cadmium content. Cadmium poses a health treat, as it is a highly toxic heavy metal for most living organisms.
( Hao et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Hunan University of Arts and Science
Hunan Normal University, China
Increased tolerance to cadmium toxicity.
( Yue et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University
Hangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Increased tolerance to low temperatures.
( Wang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Nankai University
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China
Increased drought tolerance. Plants showed lower ion leakage and higher proline content upon abiotic stress.
( Kim et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chungbuk National University
Hankyong National University

Institute of Korean Prehistory, South Korea
Enhanced cadmium resistance with reduced cadmium accumulation in roots and shoots. Cadmium is a heavy metal, harmful for human health.
( Dang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Shenyang Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Northern geng Super Rice Breeding, China
Increased cuticular wax biosynthesis resulting in enhanced drought tolerance.
( Shim et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Seoul National University
Incheon National University
Kyung Hee University, South Korea
Salt-tolerant plants.
( Jingfang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Lianyungang Academy of Agricultural Science
Nanjing Agricultural University
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Enhanced rice salinity tolerance and absisic acid hypersensitivity.
( Yan et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanchang University, China
Broad-spectrum stress tolerance: enhanced low temperature, salinity, Pseudoperonospora cubensis and water-deficit tolerance.
(Dong et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
University of California, USA
Early heading phenotype that escapes from cold stress and achieves high yield potential.
( Zhou et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanjing Agricultural University
Institute of Lianyungang Agricultural Science of Xuhuai Area/Lianyungang Institute of Agricultural Sciences
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Cold tolerance.
( Park et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Institute of Crop Science
Kyungpook National University, South Korea
Enhanced chilling tolerance at seedling stage without yield loss.
( Deng et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Hunan Agricultural University
Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Yuelushan Laboratory, China
Improved lodging resistance.
( Wakasa et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
Institute of Crop Sciences, Japan
Decreased Cadmium (Cd) accumulation. Consumption of crops that absorb Cd from the soil can cause serious health problems in humans.
( He et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Yunnan Agricultural University, China
Enhanced salt tolerance.
( Ly et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology
Agricultural Genetics Institute, Vietnam
Reduced arsenic content. Arsenic accumulation in rice poses a threat to human health.
( Singh et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR)
CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute
CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, India

Traits related to industrial utilization

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
Early heading: timing of heading is crucial for the reproduction and the geographical expansion of cultivation of rice.
(Sun et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China National Rice Research Institute
Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Northern Center of China National Rice Research Institute
Xuzhou Institute of Agricultural Sciences, China
Enabled clonal reproduction trough seeds. Application of the method may enable self-propagation of a broad range of elite F1 hybrid crops.
( Wang et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Université Paris-Saclay, France
Late flowering time.
( Li et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University
China Zhejiang Zhengjingyuan Pharmacy Chain Co., Ltd. &
Hangzhou Zhengcaiyuan Pharmaceutical Co., China
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
Enhanced genetic recombination frequency to increase genetic diversity and disrupting genetic interference.
( Liu et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China National Rice Research Institute
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Thermosensitive genic male sterile lines with high blast resistance and fragrance quality. Resources for hybrid rice breeding.
( Liang et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China National Rice Research Institute, China
Regulation of flowering time and drought tolerance: flowered 9.6 and 5.8 days earlier.
(Gu et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Yangzhou University, China
Wine fermentation: minimize ethyl carbamate (EC) accumulation. EC is a potential carcinogen to humans. EC is mainly produced through the reaction between urea and ethanol during the Chinese wine brewing process.
(Wu et al., 2020)
SDN2
CRISPR/Cas
Jiangnan University
Zhejiang Shuren University, China
Generating male sterility lines (MSL). MS is the absence or non-function of pollen grain in plant or incapability of plants to produce or release functional pollen grains. Using MS lines eliminates the process of mechanical emasculation in hybrid seed production.
( Zou et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Sichuan Agricultural University, China
Rescued male fertility. Hybrids between divergent populations commonly show hybrid sterility; this reproductive barrier hinders hybrid breeding of the japonica and indica rice subspecies.
( Shen et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources
Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions
South China Agricultural University, China
Early maturity of rice varieties. Rice is a tropical short-day plant. The northward cultivation in China is accompanied with daylength extension and temperature decrease, which are unfavorable for rice, to complete flowering and seed setting.
( Li et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Restoring cytoplasmic sterility.
( Kazama et al., 2019 )
SDN2
TALENs
Tohoku University
Tamagawa University
The University of Tokyo
National Institute of Genetics
Tokyo Institute of Technology
Tamagawa University
Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan
Confer male sterility for hybrid seed production. Male sterility is an important trait, especially for self-pollinated crops such as rice.
( Ma et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
South China Agricultural University, China
Generation of a new thermo-sensitive genic male sterile rice line for hybrid breeding of indica rice.
( Barman et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China National Rice Research Institute, China
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh
Fertility restoration of cytoplasmic male sterility.
( Suketomo et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Tohoku University, Japan
Male sterility and decreased total fatty acid content in the anther.
( Basnet et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University
Yangtze University, China
Development of commercial thermosensitive genic male sterile lines to accelerate hybrid rice breeding.
( Zhou et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources
Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions
South China Agricultural University
China National Hybrid Rice R&
D Center, China
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
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
Genetic variability. The genetically reprogrammed rice plants can act as donor lines to stabilize important agronomic traits or can be a potential resource to create more segregating population.
( K et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Agricultural Sciences
Regional Centre for Biotechnology, India
Creation of photoperiod-/thermo-sensitive genic male-sterile (P/TGMS) lines, important for commercial rice breeding. P/TGMS rice lines are useful germplasm resources for two-line hybrid breeding.
( Lan et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
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.
( Li et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences
School of Advanced Agriculture Sciences and School of Life Sciences
Peking University
Beijing Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement,China
Removal of methyl iodide emissions. The release of methyl iodide in the athmospere causes ozone depletion and thus represents an important environmental threat.
( Carlessi et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
PlantLab
Institute of Life Sciences
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
University of Pisa
University of Milan, Italy
Enhanced biomass saccharification by altered lignin biosynthesis. The intrinsic recalcitrance of lignocellulose residues requires high energy input for bioethanol production.
( Zhang et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Huazhong Agricultural University
Hubei University of Arts &
Science
Guangxi University, China
Prolonged basic vegetative growth periods for flexible cropping systems in southern China, as well as in other low-latitude regions. Most of the mid-latitude varities were sensitive to temperature or photoperiod, resulting in low grain yield when cultivated in low-latitude regions.
( Wu et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University
Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Minjiang University, China
Production of herbicide-sensitive strain to prevent volunteer infestation. Volunteer rice grows when cultivated rice seed fall into fields, overwinter and spontaneously germinate the next spring.
( Komatsu et al., 2020 )

BE
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)
Graduate School of Science
Technology and Innovation, Japan
Rescued hybrid female fertility. Hybrids between divergent populations commonly show hybrid sterility; this reproductive barrier hinders hybrid breeding of the japonica and indica rice subspecies.
( Guo et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Guangdong Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice Breeding
Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
South China Agricultural University, China
Enhanced biomass saccharification by remodelling of cell wall composition.
( Dang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Shenyang Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Northern geng Super Rice Breeding, China
Higher haploid induction rate. Haploid induction allows formation of doubled haploids, which can be used to rapidly fix genetic information.
( Jang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chonnam National University
Pusan National University
Kyung Hee University, South Korea
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. Complete abolition of pollen development.
( An et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Science and Technology Beijing
Yili Normal University
Zhongzhi International Institute of Agricultural Biosciences
Beijing Solidwill Sci-Tech Co. Ltd., China