Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 8h

Our KWS colleague Anja Matzk will speak at an event organised by Plants for the Future ETP and co-hosted by three MEPs, discussing how #NGTs can help make European farming more resilient and competitive.
Looking forward to the interesting exchange! 💡

3 3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 2d

Chinese research team found a way to guide DNA repair more accurately, boosting the efficiency of #CRISPR based gene targeting in tomato. 🍅
This approach could facilitate breeding efficiency and precision.
🔗 https://ow.ly/eifZ50X6Z6n

1

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 6d

Why does it take years to develop new crop varieties?
Each variety is the result of extensive research, close collaboration, and must undergo rigorous trials and testing. 📝🌱
This summary from the GeneSprout Initiative explains it well:
🔗 www.linkedin.com/posts/genesp...

#ngts #genomeediting #plantscience #fieldtrials #ecrvoices #sustainableagriculture #genesprout #genesproutinitiative #plantscience #biology #crispr #earlycareerresearchers #sciencecommunication… | Gen...

🌾 From lab to field: Why testing crops takes decades, not days Did you know it can take 20+ years for a new crop variety to reach your plate? Before a New Genomic Technique (NGT) plant can be consid...

www.linkedin.com

1 3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 7d

The Farmonaut takes a look at the use of #CRISPR #GenomeEditing in 2025; advancing the breeding of climate tolerant, disease resistant, and higher-yielding crop varieties. 🌾

farmonaut.com/news/crispr-...

CRISPR Agriculture News Today: 7 Powerful Advances In 2025

Crispr agriculture news today: Discover how CRISPR advances revolutionize crops, food security, and sustainable farming in 2025. Explore key updates now!

farmonaut.com

2

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 8d

🧬🍓 A breakthrough in berry breeding!
For the first time, researchers have successfully validated #CRISPR in raspberries. This paves the way to more disease-resistant, climate-tolerant varieties and less food waste.
www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiote...

Scientists Use CRISPR to Create More Resilient Raspberries

Researchers have recently published a new method to edit the DNA of raspberries. Published in Frontiers of Genome Editing, the study aims to develop a more sustainable raspberry production and less fo...

www.isaaa.org

2

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 12d

#GenomeEditing is gaining momentum in Europe – and we are part of it! 👇
Our recent licensing agreement marks first global use of Shunfeng Bio’s #CRISPR based enzymes across all crop types. This means accelerated development of high-yielding, more resilient crop varieties.
www.kws.com/corp/en/news...

2

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 13d

“In the past fiscal year, we kept our operating business on track with a high degree of resilience in a challenging market environment and achieved our full-year targets” states Dr. Felix Büchting, CEO of KWS

Find the press release on our latest business results here:
www.kws.com/corp/en/news...

1

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 14d

Potato is a vital food crop that faces significant threats from diseases and environmental stress.
This review explores how #GenomeEditing can help overcome potato’s breeding challenges and help develop disease-resistant varieties without added pesticides.
🔗 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

1

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 20d

A new AI platform called CRISPR-GPT aims to support gene-editing workflows—from planning to troubleshooting. Developed by leading institutions, it combines scientific expertise with language processing.
🔗 www.genengnews.com/topics/genom...

“CRISPR Meets GPT” to Supercharge Gene Editing

Scientists developed a multiagent AI model, "CRISPR-GPT" to automate and enhance gene-editing experiments and analyses.

www.genengnews.com

1 3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 22d

Crop yields are stagnating in many parts of the world—just as global food demand rises. 🌍🌾
This review paper discusses the potential of #GenomeEditing to enable development of climate-resilient, high yielding crops supported by AI, robotics & precision ag. 👇
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Integrating genome editing with omics, artificial intelligence, and advanced farming technologies to increase crop productivity

Celebrated for boosting agricultural productivity and enhancing food security worldwide, the Green Revolution comprised some of the most significant a…

www.sciencedirect.com

3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 26d

🌽 Researchers used #CRISPR to knock out two key genes in corn, disrupting the formation of stomata - small pores that control the plant's gas exchange.

The result? Fewer stomata, lower photosynthesis, but improved water-use efficiency💧

journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

4

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 28d

🌱 Researchers have identified a gene that limits alfalfa’s ability to survive flooding.
By switching it off with #CRISPR, the plant grows better under waterlogged conditions: a finding that could support the breeding of alfalfa under climate change. 🌍

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

The down‐regulation of MsWOX13‐2 promotes enhanced waterlogging resilience in alfalfa

While there is evidence that WOX13 genes play a role in abiotic stress response in certain plant species, their function in the context of waterlogging stress has yet to be examined. In this study, w...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

2

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · 29d

🌾 Hybrid rye is a low-input, climate-resilient crop with untapped potential for EU agriculture.
In this interview our KWS colleagues Andreas von Felde and Imke Hering discuss how it can help cut emissions, boost soil health and support local feed systems.
www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/partner/arti...

Hybrid rye: unlocking the full potential of sustainable agriculture

With the EU looking to improve sustainable farming policy, could hybrid rye offer a promising solution to the current challenges faced by farmers ?...

www.theparliamentmagazine.eu

2

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Sep 5

🌱 #CRISPR #GenomeEditing -powered advances in soybean research led to up to 31.8% higher yield, and changes in seed traits like size and oil content.
A promising step toward better understanding crop genetics and boosting food security 👇
www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiote...

Gene Editing Helps Identify Genetic Module Regulating Soybean Seed Traits

Soybeans are a vital global crop used in everything from human food to industrial products. Improving soybean yield is crucial for global food security, but the genetic mechanisms that control key see...

www.isaaa.org

1

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Sep 4

EFSA just released their first scan of new scientific data on #NGTs, confirming that no new hazards or risks were identified beyond those previously considered.
Fulll report accessible via the link 👇

European Food Safety Authority @efsa.europa.eu · Aug 29

📣 We just published a horizon scan of new studies on new genomic techniques (NGT) in plants.

This is the first of our biannual NGT scans, helping ensure our science and risk assessment methodology remains up-to-date.

Read the full report 👉 europa.eu/!ftR93Q

#GMO #NGT #RiskAssessment #EFSA

2 5

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Sep 2

Breeders, farmers, consumers: They all have different demands and requirements that we want and need to meet.
Not an easy task. But we're tackling it 💪
How?
Find out in our series #WorldofFarming 💡

🔗https://www.kws.com/corp/en/media-press/world-of-farming-stories/

2

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Sep 1

Purple rice is rich in antioxidants and offers health benefits.

Using #CRISPR, researchers disabled a key repressor to reveal how anthocyanin levels are regulated—advancing our understanding of enhancing nutritional quality and crop resilience. 🌾

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Comprehensive analysis of R2R3-MYB transcription factors reveals OsMYB1 as a key regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in rice

R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators of plant development, stress responses, and secondary metabolism, with a central role in antho…

www.sciencedirect.com

3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 28

Recent research shows plants use sugar to sense heat during the day 👇
As temperatures rise, starch turns into sugar, which signals the plant to grow. This sugar-based system connects light, energy, and heat—offering new clues for breeding climate-resilient crops 🌾
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A multisensor high-temperature signaling framework for triggering daytime thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis - Nature Communications

Plants encounter high temperatures concomitantly with intense sunlight during the daytime. Here, the authors reveal a concerted chloroplast and nucleus high-temperature signaling framework that gates ...

www.nature.com

1 3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 26

NZ joins other Third Countries in updating GM labeling rules: foods made with #GenomeEditing but without new DNA will no longer require a GM label. Only products with added DNA/proteins will.
▶️ A shift toward science-based, risk-proportionate regulation!

www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/...

Are NZ shoppers hungry for genetically-modified foods?

Gene-edited food won’t need a GM label if no new DNA was introduced during its production.

www.nzherald.co.nz

4 15

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 20

🧬 Researchers developed a scalable #CRISPR-based method to improve #GenomeEditing by tackling overlapping gene functions (functional redundancy), and successfully tested it on tomatoes. 🍅

A promising step toward more precise crop improvements!

🔗 Read more: www.genengnews.com/topics/genom...

Scalable CRISPR-Based Gene Editing Improves Tomato Crop Traits

The study generated approximately 1,300 CRISPR lines to influence tomato traits, including flavor, nutrient uptake, and pathogen response.

www.genengnews.com

3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 19

🌱Curious how Europe ensures high-quality seeds?

Check out this video from Euroseeds about the journey to high-quality seeds - serving the needs of #EUfarmers and #EUcitizens 👇

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1MO...

The European seed sector and the journey to high-quality seeds🌱

YouTube video by Euroseeds

www.youtube.com

1

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 15

🍌Non-browning bananas developed by #GenomeEditing help to cut food waste & boost sustainability.

A consumer study of three Asian countries shows that safety perception drives acceptance, while culture & environmental messaging shape consumer views.

Read more: www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiote...

Survey Shows Consumer Acceptance of Gene-Edited Bananas in the Philippines, Japan, and China

Alexandra Pittman from the University of Arkansas (UARK) conducted a survey to understand consumer acceptance of gene-edited bananas in the Philippines, Japan, and China, considering the respondents' ...

www.isaaa.org

4

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 13

AI-assisted #CRISPR = faster, more efficient plant virus diagnostics 🔬
Researchers in Iran developed an AI-driven CRISPR-based tool for fast and sensitive detection of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus in the field. 🍅
📄: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#LetsTalkBreeding #ToBRFV

Integrating AI and CRISPR Cas13a for rapid detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Integrating AI and CRISPR Cas13a for rapid detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus

www.nature.com

3

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 12

🌽 A collaborative study led by @rutgersu.bsky.social offers new insights into DNA binding sites in corn – revealing how key traits, such as pest resistance, are controlled.

This could pave the way for developing more resilient crops!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Transcription factor binding divergence drives transcriptional and phenotypic variation in maize - Nature Plants

Genome-wide comparative analysis of DNA binding for 200 transcription factors in two maize inbred lines reveals prevalent genotype-specific variation that is associated with gene expression difference...

www.nature.com

4

KWS Group @kwsgroup.bsky.social · Aug 11

Gene banks preserve genetic diversity 🌱
Vital for crop resilience, R&D, endangered species, and recovery after disasters.
They’re key to future-proofing agriculture.
Learn more in @plants4thefuture.bsky.social ’s booklet: www.plantetp.eu/wp-content/u...
#GeneBanks #LetsTalkBreeding #AgInnovation

2