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 75 results

Traits related to biotic stress tolerance

Highly significant reduction in susceptibility to fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. Apple is one of the most cultivated fruit crops throughout the temperate regions of the world.
( Pompili et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Università degli Studi di Udine
Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy
Fungal resistance: increased resistance to Erysiphe necator, causing powdery mildew in grape cultivar. The pathogen infects all green tissues and berries, leading to dramatic losses in yield and berry quality.
(Malnoy et al., 2016)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy
ToolGen Inc.
Institute for Basic Science
Seoul National University
South Korea
Bacterial resistance: improved resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae, which causes bacterial blight, a devastating rice disease resulting in yield losses.
(Oliva et al., 2019)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
International Rice Research Institute, Philippines
University of Missouri
University of Florida
Iowa State University
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA
Université Montpellier, France
Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf
Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research
Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Nagoya University, Japan
Bacterial resistance: Increased resistance to Erwinia amylovora, causing fire blight disease that threatens the apple and a wide range of ornamental and commercial Rosaceae host plants.
(Malnoy et al., 2016)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy
ToolGen Inc.
Institute for Basic Science
Seoul National University, South Korea
Viral resistance: Resistance to Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a major threat to the production of tomato.
(Ishikawa et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
Takii and Company Limited, Japan
Fungal resistance: effective reduction of susceptibility against downy mildew by increasing salicylic acid levels. The pathogen can devastate individual vineyards and in some cases also affect production from entire regions.
(Giacomelli et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Research and Innovation Centre
Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy
Enza Zaden
Hudson River Biotechnology, The Netherlands
Fungal resistance: Reduced susceptibility to necrotrophic fungi. Necrotrophic fungi, such as Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria solani, cause severe damage in tomato production.
(Ramirez Gaona et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Wageningen University &
Research, The Netherlands
Takii &
Company Limited, Japan
Oomycete resistance: resistance against downly mildew disease (DM). DM is caused by Peronospora belbahrii, a worldwide threat to the basil industry.
(Laura et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops
Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology
Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection
Research Centre for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops
University of Pisa
Center for Agricultural Experimentation and Assistance
Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Italy
Broad-spectrum disease resistance without yield loss.
( Sha et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Huazhong Agricultural University
Chengdu Normal University
Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Anhui Agricultural University
BGI-Shenzhen
Northwest A&
F University
Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Université de Bordeaux, France
University of California
The Joint BioEnergy Institute, USA
University of Adelaide, Australia
Nematodal resistance: decreased susceptibility against root-knot nematodes, showing fewer gall and egg masses.
(Noureddine et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Université Côte d’Azur
Université de Toulouse, France
Kumamoto University, Japan
Viral resistance: reduced viral accumulation and amelioration of virus-induced symptoms by Potato Virus Y.
(Lucioli et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
ENEA
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Italy
National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Hungary

Traits related to abiotic stress tolerance

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
Drought and salt tolerance.
( Curtin et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Minnesota, USA
The University of Newcastle, Australia
Improved lodging resistance.
( Wakasa et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
Institute of Crop Sciences, Japan
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

Traits related to improved food/feed quality

Increased NH4+ and PO43− uptake, and photosynthetic activity under high CO2 conditions in rice. Largely increased panicle weight. Improved grain appearance quality or a decrease in the number of chalky grains.
( Iwamoto et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan
Reduced amount of saturated fatty acids (FA) in soybean seeds for nutrititional improvement. FA are linked to cardiovascular diseases.
( Ma et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University, China
La Trobe University, Australia
Complete abolition of glycoalkaloids, causing a bitter taste and toxic to various organisms.
( Nakayasu et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Kobe University, Japan
Reduce allergen proteins. Structural and metabolic proteins, like α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors are involved in the onset of wheat allergies (bakers' asthma) and probably Non-Coeliac Wheat Sensitivity (NCWS).
( Camerlengo et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Tuscia, Italy
Rothamsted Research, UK
Impasse Thérèse Bertrand-Fontaine, France
Reduced browning and acrylamide. Acrylamide is a contaminant which forms during the baking, toasting and high-temperature processing of foods and is regarded as a potential carcinogen and neurotoxin.
( Nguyen Phuoc Ly et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Murdoch University, Australia
Increased flavonoid content, functioning as allelochemicals and insect deterrents.
( Lam et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shenzhen
Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Nanjing Forestry University, China
Kyoto University, Japan
Negligible levels of the possibly toxic steroidal glykoalkaloids (SGAs), but enhanced levels of steroidal saponins, which has pharmaceutically useful functions.
( Akiyama et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Kobe University
Riken Center for Sustainable Resource Science
Osaka University, Japan
Reduced flavonoids and improved fatty acid composition with higher linoleic acid and linolenic acid, valuable for rapeseed germplasm and breeding. The genetic improvement has great significance in the economic value of rapeseeds.
( Xie et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Yangzhou University
The Ministry of Education of China, China
University of Western Australia, Australia
Reduction of harmful ingredients: toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs).
(Sawai et al., 2014)
SDN1
TALENs
RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
Chiba University, Japan
Altered gliadin levels resulting in improved end-use quality and reduced gluten epitopes associated with celiac disease. Gliadins are important for wheat end-use traits.
( Liu et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University, China
Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, Italy
High gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content. GABA plays a key role in plant stress responses, growth, development and as a nutritional component of grain can also reduce the likelihood of hypertension and diabetes. Increased amino acid content. Higher seed weight and seed protein content.
( Akama et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Shimane University
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
Yokohama City University, Japan
Increased gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation by 7 to 15 fold while having variable effects on plant and fruit size and yield. GABA is a nonproteogenic amino acid and has health-promoting functions.
( Nonaka et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Changing grain composition: decrease in the prolamines, an increase in the glutenins, increased starch content, amylose content, and β-glucan content. The protein matrix surrounding the starch granules was increased.
(Yang et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Sichuan Agricultural University, China
Norwich Research Park, UK
CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australia
Seedless tomatoes for industrial purposes and direct eating quality.
( Ueta et al., 2017 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Tokushima University, Japan
Mutant cell lines doubled the accumulation level of anthocyanins biosynthesized. The production of these important pigments was stabilized over time.
( D'Amelia et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Research Council of Italy
University of Naples Federico II
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Italy
Reduced steroidal glycoalkaloids.
( Yasumoto et al., 2019 )

TALENs
Osaka University
RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
Kobe University, Japan
Carotenoid accumulation to solve the problem of vitamin A deficiency that is prevalent in developing countries.
( Endo et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
Ishikawa Prefectural University, Japan
Highly specific detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in cereal samples. OTA is classified as a Class 2B carcinogens. The method can be flexibly customized to detect a wide range of small molecular targets and holds great promise as a versatile sensing kit with applications in various fields requiring sensitive and specific detection of diverse analytes.
( Chen et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ningbo University
Hainan University
Ningbo Clinical Pathology Diagnosis Center, China
University of New South Wales, Australia
Increased carotenoid, lycopene, and β-carotene.
( Hunziker et al., 2020 )

BE
University of Tsukuba
Kobe University
Institute of Vegetable and Floricultural Science
NARO, Japan
Specific differences in grain morphology, composition and (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan content. Barley rich in (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan, a source of fermentable dietary fibre, is useful to protect against various human health conditions. However, low grain (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan content is preferred for brewing and distilling.
( Garcia-Gimenez et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The James Hutton Institute
University of Dundee, UK
University of Adelaide
La Trobe University, Australia
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
Increased sugar content without decreased fruit weight. Sugar content is one of the most important quality traits of tomato.
( Kawaguchi et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nagoya University
Kobe University
RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Fine-tuning the amylose content, one of the major contributors to the eating and cooking quality.
( Xu et al., 2021 )

BE
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Nanjing Branch of Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement
Yangzhou University
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australia
Altered fatty acid composition. High oleic/low linoleic acid rice. Oleic acid has potential health benefits and helps decrease lifestyle disease.
( Abe et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan
Low glutelin content in the rice germplasm: patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and phenylketonuria (PKU) need to eat rice with low glutelin content.
(Chen et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanjing Branch of Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement
Yangzhou University
Henan Agricultural University
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australia
Improved fatty acid composition. The content and abundance of fatty acids play an important role in nutritional and processing applications of oilseeds.
( Okuzaki et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Tamagawa University
Osaka Prefecture University
Tamagawa University, Japan

Traits related to increased plant yield and growth

Improved nitrogen use efficiency, growth and yield in low nitrogen environment.
( Liu et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The University of Tokyo, Japan
Semi-dwarf phenotype to improve lodging resistance and increased seed dormancy. Increased seed dormancy can be beneficial for use in the malting industry.
( Cheng et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Tasmania
Murdoch University
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Australia
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Range of beneficial phenotypes: additional tillers and smaller culms and panicles.
(Cui et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China National Rice Research Institute
Huazhong Agricultural University, China
Yangzhou University, Nagoya University, Japan
Improved spikelet number per panicle led to increased grain yield per plant.
( Ludwig et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines
University of Pavia, Italy
Increase in plant height, tiller number, grain protein content and yield. 1.5- to 2.8-fold increase in total chlorophyll content in the flag leaf at the grain filling stage. Delayed senescence by 10–14 days. High nitrogen content in shoots under low nitrogen conditions.
( Karunarathne et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Murdoch University
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Australia
Regulating fruit ripening, one of the most important concerns in the study of fleshy fruit species.
( Ito et al., 2015 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Food Research Institute, Japan
Reduction of plant height through accumulation of ceramides. Plant height is an important agronomic trait of rice, it directly affects the yield potential and lodging resistance.
( Wang et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nanchang University
Henan Agricultural University, China
Hokkaido University, Japan
Increased grain yield under phosphorus-deficient conditions.
( Ishizaki et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan
Positive regulation for grain dormancy. Lack of grain dormancy in cereal crops causes losses in yield and quality because of preharvest sprouting.
( Lawrenson et al., 2015 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Norwich Research Park, UK
Murdoch University, Australia
Increased tiller number and grain yield.
( Cui et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The University of Tokyo
Kyoto University
National Institute of Crop Science, Japan
Elongated, occasionally peanut-like shaped fruit.
( Zheng et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Nagoya University
Kanazawa University, Japan
Huazhong Agricultural University, China
Root growth angle regulation, among the most important determinants of root system architecture. Root growth angle controls water uptake capacity, stress resilience, nutrient use efficiency and thus yield of crop plants.
( Kirschner et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Bonn
University of Cologne
Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research Gatersleben
Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany
University of Bologna, Italy

Altered plant architecture to inrease yield: increased node number on the main stem and branch number.
(Bao et al., 2019)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Huazhong Agricultural University, China
Duy Tan University, Vietnam
RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Japan

Traits related to industrial utilization

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
Accelerated domestication of African rice landraces by improving domestication traits such as sheed shattering, lodging and seed yield. The acceleration of the development of high-yield African landrace varieties is important considering that Africa has a strong growing population and prone to food shortage.
( Lacchini et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Milan, Italy
University of Montpellier, France
Significantly longer seed dormancy period, may result in reduced pre-harvest sprouting of grains on spikes.
( Abe et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Institute of Crop Science
Okayama University
Yokohama City University
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan
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
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
Fertility restoration of cytoplasmic male sterility.
( Suketomo et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Tohoku University, Japan
Confer male and female sterility to prevent the risk of trasgene flow from transgenic plants to their wild relatives.
( Shinoyama et al., 2020 )
SDN1
TALENs
Fukui Agricultural Experiment Station
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Yokohama City University, Japan
Altai State University, Russia
Generation of male-sterile hexaploid wheat lines for use in hybrid seed production. The development and adoption of hybrid seed technology have led to dramatic increases in agricultural productivity.
( Okada et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The University of Adelaide, Australia
Huaiyin Normal University, China

Traits related to herbicide tolerance

Imazethapyr, imazapic
( Wang et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Nanjing Branch of Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement
Yangzhou University
Jiangsu University, China
CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australia
Imazamox
( Shimatani et al. 2017 )

BE
Kobe University
University of Tsukuba
Meijo University, Japan
Herbicide tolerance (ALS-targeting)
( Wang et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Nanjing Branch of Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement
Yangzhou University
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Jiangsu University, China
CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australia
Herbicide resistance
( Shimatani et al. 2018 )

BE
Kobe University, Japan
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Herbicide glyphosate tolerance.
( Arndell et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
CSIRO
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
The University of Adelaide, Australia
Herbicide tolerance: ALS-inhibiting
(Okuzaki et al., 2004)

ODM
Tohoku University, Japan
Resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides.
( Okuzaki et al., 2003 )

ODM
Tohoku University, Japan

Traits related to product color/flavour

Anthocyanin-rich and pigmented sweet oranges.
( Salonia et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Research Centre for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops
University of Catania
Research and Innovation Centre Trento, Italy
Color modification: yellow. Ipomoea nil exhibits a variety of flower colours, except yellow.
(Watanabe et al., 2018)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Tsukuba
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan
Albinism and dwarfing.
( Naim et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Flower color modification due to reduced anthocyanin content. Flower color is one of the most important traits in ornamental flowers.
( Nishihara et al. (2018) )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, Japan

Traits related to storage performance

The fruit remains green and shows higher firmness as well as no early fermentation. This results in extended shelf-life which could reduce food loss and contribute to food security.
( Nonaka et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Reduced fruit flesh browning. The browning of eggplant berry flesh after cutting has a negative impact on fruit quality for both industrial transformation and fresh consumption.
( Maioli et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Torino, Italy
Instituto de Biologica Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP)
Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain