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 68 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
Bacterial resistance: Strong resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae, causing bacterial blight, a devastating rice disease resulting in yield losses.
(Zafar et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Constituent College of Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences
University of Information Technology
Engineering and Management Sciences
Constituent College of Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Pakistan
Viral resistance: increased resistance to chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus (CpCDV).
(Malik et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of the Punjab
University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Washington State University, USA
Viral resistance: Increased resistance against watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), and zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV).
(Fidan et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Akdeniz University
Research and Development Department AD ROSSEN Seeds, Turkey
Bacterial resistance: Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae DC3000, a widespread pathogen that causes bacterial speck disease of tomato.
(Ortigosa et al., 2019)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC),Spain

Fungal resistance: Resistance against the blast fungus Mangaporthe oryzae.
(Bundó et al., 2024)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científcas (CSIC), Spain
Academia Sinica No 128, Taiwan
Viral resistance: enhanced Potato virus Y (PVY) resistance. PVY infection can result in up to 70% yield loss globally.
(Le et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam
University of Edinburgh, UK
Fungal resistance: Increased tolerance against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, causing vascular wilt.
(Ijaz et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Agriculture, Pakistan
Mutants were compromised in infectivity of Phytophthora palmivora, a destructive oomycete plant pathogen with a wide host range
( Pettongkhao et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
University of Hawaii at Manoa
East-West Center, USA
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU), UK
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
Viral resistance: to Cotton Leaf Curl Kokhran Virus, causing Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD), a very devastating and prevalent disease. CLCuD causes huge losses to the textile and other industries.
(Hamza et al., 2021)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan
Fungal resistance: increased tolerance to Late Blight disease, which could be devastating to tomato yields.
(Maioli et al., 2024)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Torino, Italy
Ingeniero Fausto Elio/n, Spain
Wageningen University &
Research,
Plant parasitic resitance: Broomrape resistant plants. Broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr) threatens the sunflower production in countries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Spain, Turkey, Israel, Iran, Kazakhstan, and China.
(Yildirim et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Department of Molecular Bioloqy and Genetics Ondokuz Mayıs University
Sunflower Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops
Department of Biomedical Engineering Akdeniz University, Turkey
Broad-spectrum resistance against multiple Potato virus Y (PVY)-strains.
( Noureen et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Constituent College of Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS)
University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (UIBB), Pakistan
Enhanced resistance to insects, no serotonin production and higher salicylic acid levels. Rice brown planthopper (BPH; Nilaparvata lugens Stål) and striped stem borer (SSB; Chilo suppressalis) are the two most serious pests in rice production.
( Lu et al., 2018 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University
Jiaxing Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Wuxi Hupper Bioseed Ltd.
Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Grain Industry, China
Newcastle University, UK
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: Strong resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae, causing bacterial blight, a devastating rice disease resulting in yield losses.
(Xu et al., 2021)
SDN1
TALENs
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Crop Diseases Research Institute, Pakistan
Viral resistance: reduced cotton leaf curl viral (CLCuV) load with asymptomatic plants. <br /> CLCuV causes a very devastating and prevalent disease. It causes huge losses to textile and other industries.
(Shakoor et al., 2023)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of the Punjab
University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Pacific Biosciences
CureVac Manufacturing GmbH, Germany
Rapid and on-site detection of the mycotoxin zearalenone.
( Pei et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Shaanxi University of Science and Technology
Anhui Agricultural University
China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, China
Queen'
s University Belfast, UK

Traits related to abiotic stress tolerance

Increased drought-avoidance strategy.
( Maioli et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Torino, Italy
Ingeniero Fausto Elio/n, Spain
Wageningen University &
Research, The Netherlands
Increased tolerance to drought trough reducing water loss. Tuber development.
( Gonzales et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
Centro Nacional de Biotecnología – CSIC
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Spain

Traits related to improved food/feed quality

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
Altered starch properties. Changes in amylopectin chain-lengths, starch granule initiation and branching frequency.
( Tuncel et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Norwich Research Park, UK
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 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
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
Improved cold storage and processing traits: lower levels of reduced sugars
(Yasmeen et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of the Punjab, Pakistan
Increased iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mn) content for biofortification: increasing the intrinsic nutritional value of crops.
(Connorton et al., 2017)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
John Innes Centre
University of East Anglia, UK
Production of opaque seeds with depleted starch reserves. Reduced starch content and increased amylose content. Accumulation of multiple sugars, fatty acids, amino acids and phytosterols.
( Baysal et al., 2020 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center
Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Spain
Royal Holloway University of London, UK
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 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
Reduced accumulation of free asparagine, the precursor for acrylamide. Acrylamide is a contaminant which forms during the baking, toasting and high-temperature processing of foods made from wheat.
( Raffan et al., 2021 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Rothamsted Research
University of Bristol, UK
Enhanced fatty acid composition: high oleic acid content. High oleic sunflower is desirable because of health benefits and industrial use.
(Uslu et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Marmara University
Gebze Technical University, Turkey
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
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

Traits related to increased plant yield and growth

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
Transformation of a climbing woody perennial, developing axillary inflorescences after many years of juvenility, into a compact plant with rapid terminal flower and fruit development.
( Varkonyi-Gasic et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
The New Zealand Institute for Plant &
Food Research Limited (Plant &
Food Research), University of Auckland, New Zealand
Increase in 1000-grain weight, grain area, grain width, grain length, plant height, and spikelets per spike.
( Errum et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC)
PARC Institute of Advanced Studies in Agriculture (PIASA)
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Pakistan
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
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.
( Awan et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan
Altered spike architecture.
( de Souza Moraes et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
Norwich Research Park, UK
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Germany
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
Altered root architecture with increased tillers and total grain weight.
( Rahim et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Quaid-e-Azam University
National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC)
The University of Haripur, Pakistan
King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Nile University
Ain Shams University, Egypt
Chonnam National University, South Korea
Regulated sepal growth
( Xing et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
China Agricultural University
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhejiang University, China
University of Nottingham, UK
Dwarf phenotype.
( Lawrenson et al., 2015 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Norwich Research Park, UK
Murdoch University, USA
Altering leaf inclination angle which has the potential to elevate yield in high-density plantings.
( Brant et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
University of Florida
DOE Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, USA
Kastamonu University, Turkey

Traits related to industrial utilization

Parthenocarpy: seedless tomatoes
(Nieves-Cordones et al., 2020)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura-CSIC, Spain
Manipulation of the biosynthesis of bioactive compound alkaloids. Poppy produces many benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) used in biomedicines.
( Alagoz et al., 2016 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Cankiri Karatekin University
Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey
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
Smaller petunia plants with high flower abundance.
( Abdulla et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ondokuz Mayis University, Turkey
Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt
Generating male sterility lines (MLS) and enhanced tolerance against drought stress. Using MLS in hybrid seed production reduces costs and ensures high purity of the varieties because it does not produce pollen and has exserted stigmas.
( Secgin et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ondokuz Mayıs University
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey
Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt
New red-grained and pre-harvest sprouting (PHS)-resistant wheat varieties with elite agronomic traits. PHS reduces yield and grain quality, additionally the red pigment of the grain coat contains proanthocyanidins, which have antioxidant activity and thus health-promoting properties.
( Zhu et al., 2022 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Henan University
Shenzhen Research Institute of Henan university
Taiyuan University of Technology
Southern University of Science and Technology, China
University of Edinburgh, UK
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
Male sterility: mutants did not produce pollen and induced a parthenocarpic fruit set.
(Gökdemir et al., 2022)
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Ondokuz Mayıs University
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Turkey

Traits related to herbicide tolerance

Herbicide tolerance: Bispyribac-sodium (BS). BS is a pyrimidinyl carboxy herbicide.
(Zafar et al., 2023)
SDN2
CRISPR/Cas
Constituent College of Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Pakistan

Traits related to product color/flavour

Reduced citrate content. Citrate is a common primary metabolite which often characterizes fruit flavour.
( Fu et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Zhejiang University, China
University of Florida, USA
The New Zealand Institute for Plant &
Food Research Limited (Plant &
Food Research) Mt Albert
University of Auckland, New Zealand
Albino phenotype.
( Wilson et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
NIAB EMR, UK
Improved aroma, flavour and fatty acid (FA) profiles of pea seeds.
( Bhowmik et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
National Research Council Canada (NRC)
University of Calgary
University of Saskatchewan
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
St. Boniface Hospital Research, Canada
John Innes Centre, UK
Albino phenotype.
( Wilson et al., 2019 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
NIAB EMR, UK

Traits related to storage performance

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
Improved strawberry fruit firmness. The postharvest shelf life is highly limited by the loss of firmness, making firmness one of the most important fruit quality traits.
( López-Casado et al., 2023 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Universidad de Málaga
Universidad de Córdoba, Spain
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
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
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
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
Delayed fruit ripening.
( Santo Domingo et al., 2024 )
SDN1
CRISPR/Cas
Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG)
Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio)
Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA), Spain
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