Genetic engineering - plants

Pistachios: Credit Bárbara Blanco-Ulate / UC Davis

Cracking the genetic code of the pistachio

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New DNA mapping could lead to more nutritious, sustainable pistachios. The climate crisis has brought warmer winters and a drastic reduction in the fog that cooled California. To do this, the tree must adapt to the new conditions,
Jeffrey Dangle, Brian Stacekevich and Jonathan Jones. Photos: Wolf Prize Foundation

Wolf Prize in Agriculture 2025: Recognizing groundbreaking discoveries in the plant immune system

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The prize is awarded jointly to Professors Jeffrey Dangle, Jonathan Jones and Brian Stacekevich.
Genetic improvement of crops. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Wolf Prize in Agriculture to three winners for major discoveries in developmental biology of plants that contribute to crop improvement

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The winners are Professor Elliot M. Elliot Meyerowitz from Caltech and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA, Professor Joanne Chory from the Salk Institute, USA, and Professor Venkatesan "Sundar"
In the new study, scientists reprogrammed Nicotiana benthamiana plants to produce a wide variety of beneficial sugars found in breast milk, called breast milk oligosaccharides. Credit: Colin Barnum

GM plants produce breast milk sugars that may lead to healthier infant formula

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Today, it is possible to produce a small number of breast milk oligosaccharides with the help of transgenic E. coli bacteria. However, isolating the beneficial molecules from other toxic products is an expensive process, and only a limited number of
The UC Berkeley research team used CRISPR/Cas9 to increase gene expression in rice by modifying its upstream regulatory DNA. While other studies have used this technology to inactivate or decrease gene expression, this study is the first to use gene editing without bias to increase gene expression and subsequent photosynthetic activity. Credit: RIPE Project.

A research team uses CRISPR/Cas9 to change photosynthesis properties of agricultural crops

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While other studies have used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to disable or decrease gene expression, the new study published in Science Advances used unbiased gene editing for the first time to increase gene expression and subsequent photosynthetic activity.
A street lit with petunia plants with gardens of fireflies. The illustration was prepared using DALEE and is not a scientific image.

Glowing Botany: Glow-in-the-dark petunias are coming to cities

The Light Bio company has developed petunia plants that contain a lighting garden of fireflies. Will they give up the street lights?
cutting Courtesy of the researchers, Tel Aviv University

What improves the cutting process of plants that is considered critical in agriculture?

Researchers have discovered a way to significantly optimize the rooting process in the natural genetic cloning process of plants
Tomatoes. Now it will be possible to grow in drier areas. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Genetic editing to grow water-efficient tomatoes

The scientific breakthrough will help increase the yield of plants in drought conditions
Prof. Ilon Shani and Prof. Itai Miroz from the School of Plant Sciences and Food Security. Photo: Tel Aviv University spokesperson

For the first time in the world: a new genetic method makes it possible to reveal the role and properties of most genes in a plant 

The development is expected to revolutionize the improvement processes of agricultural crops
Menchal Abujan Ofer Habib. Photo: Magma Photo

Abugen's seeds division won the European Union grant, in the amount of 1.2 million euros

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The grant was given to the company for the purpose of developing agricultural crops with high oil seeds, increased absorption of carbon dioxide and resistance to drought * The grant is part of the EU Horizon program of the European Union, and was later approved
The woolly umbrella blooms in the greenhouses of the Weizmann Institute of Science. A close relative of lettuce and Maccabian blood. Photo: Dr. Sagit Meir

The new green: the South African plant that blows in the back of cannabis

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists revealed that a botanical relative of lettuce produces no less than 40 cannabinoids - active substances with medical potential that characterize the cannabis plant
Dr. Ran Hovav in a peanut field. Courtesy of the Volcanic Institute

The first collaboration between Batresides and the Volcanic Institute will enable the development of allergen-free peanuts through genetic editing

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The cooperation of Betresides with the Volcanic Institute is also intended for the development of healthier peanut varieties, extending the shelf life at the end of the harvest and adapting them to a more efficient mechanized picking
A genetically improved bean plant. Photo courtesy of Betterseeds

For the first time: success in genetic editing of the bean

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The Israeli genetics and seed company BetterSeeds has genetically redesigned the architecture of the Luvia plant and the uniformity of the appearance of its pods in a way that is suitable for mechanized harvesting * The improved Luvia will be tested in the United States during the spring of 2023
The researchers recently applied for a patent for the method they developed, and are currently looking for industry partners. Photo from the study: Nanyang Technological University

Nes Pech Hashemin, the vegetable version

Researchers from Singapore have succeeded in making the plant produce a greater amount of oil in its seeds - which may help in the fight against food insecurity in the world and make it possible to reduce deforestation for agricultural purposes. the mother
A bowl of rice. Image: depositphotos.com

Rice-23: The rice that saves half of the work for farmers

Scientists have developed a method to double the annual crop from one to two times, while improving properties in rice that can make it at least partially a perennial plant
In Prof. Amir Sharon's laboratory at Tel Aviv University, three genes were isolated from wild wheat that acquired resistance to cultivated wheat. Photo: Tel Aviv University

Researchers were able to isolate three genes that give cultivated wheat resistance to diseases

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An international research team in collaboration with researchers from Tel Aviv University isolated from wild plants three genes for resistance to the rust fungi, which cause the most serious diseases that damage wheat crops in the world. Isolation of the genes and their transfer to wheat
lettuce. Illustration: depositphotos.com

New research turns lettuce into a "super food"

The future is already here - researchers at the Hebrew University have succeeded in genetically editing lettuce and making it particularly healthy and rich in nutritional values. Five leaves of the improved lettuce per day will provide the recommended intake of vitamin C for a person
A farm in Scotland. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The UK eases the restrictions on the editing of gardens in crops and stocks

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The British government plans to ease restrictions on gene editing in order to speed up research and allow genetically modified crops and stocks to reach the market * In any case, these are changes that could have been made along the way
Dr. Amir Raz. Photo: Communications

Research in molecular genetics and genetic engineering in fertilization mechanisms examines the self-fertilization ability of trees without the help of bees

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Genetic characterization of varieties is very important for farmers, because it allows choosing the right combination of planting the varieties in the orchard, to obtain a maximum yield. Characterization of 'self-fertile' varieties, i.e. self-fertilizing (as in apricots, for example),
Potatoes. Image: depositphotos.com

How does a potato feel?

Researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture developed biological sensors in potatoes through genetic engineering, which warn in real time about the distress of the plant
The genetically engineered wild tomatoes grown by Dr. Kazachkova in greenhouses at the Weizmann Institute. "These were the most delicious bitter tomatoes I have ever tasted in my life"

A brief history of the tomato

golden wheat Image: depositphotos.com

Researchers returned a genetic segment of the wild wheat to modern wheat and improved the efficiency of the root system

Wild wheat, "the mother of wheat", is one of the first plants that man domesticated about ten thousand years ago. Over the years as a result of accelerated cultivation to improve crops, many essential traits that are retained in the wild species have been displaced from modern wheat.
mildew. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The surprising genetic evolution of ancient plants

Cultured chicken meat. Cilosrur SuperMeat

The first laboratory meat restaurant opened in Israel

On the right, Jennifer Daudena and Emmanuel Charpentier. Illustration: © Nobel Media. Ill. Niklas Elmehed.

"It was difficult for Emmanuel Charpentier to publish because no one was interested in infectious diseases as long as there was no epidemic"

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This is what Prof. Harmona Sorek from the Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University says in an interview with the Scientist website, who is happy about the decision to award Emmanuel Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna the Wolf Prize last year. Now Charpentier is establishing the
Prof. Emmanuel Charpentier. Courtesy of the Wolf Prize Foundation

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2020 was awarded to the scientists who developed the "genetic numbers" CRISPR immediately after winning the Wolff

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A cell of Nicotiana benthamiana under a microscope. On the left: the intraplasmic reticulum (marked in green), in the center: the enzyme SOAP5 (marked in red) and on the right - a combined image revealing that SOAP5 is surprisingly found inside the intraplasmic reticulum

Foam over the spinach

In a new study, Weizmann Institute of Science scientists revealed the chain of biochemical reactions responsible for the production of saponins in plants, and discovered that it includes a surprising case of molecular "hijacking". The scientists even recorded an achievement in the field of synthetic biology:
xantomato. Photo courtesy of Amit Koch

Meet the "Xanthomato" - the new Israeli tomato that will fight serious degenerative diseases

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Prof. Emmanuel Charpentier. Courtesy of the Wolf Prize Foundation

The Crisper keys win the 2020 Wolf Prize in Medicine - the reasons for the prize committee

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Genetically modified vegetables and fruits Image: from PIXABAY.COM

Genetic engineers correct an ancient evolutionary defect in plants - and improve the crop by forty percent

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wheat From Wikipedia

A new protein family was discovered in plants that is part of the plant's immune system

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Genetically modified vegetables and fruits Image: from PIXABAY.COM

The US Department of Agriculture has removed restrictions on the development of genetically modified plants

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Illustration: pixabay.

A new review reveals that genetically modified crops are healthier to eat

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Genetically modified tomatoes produce betalains in the fruit, but not in the rest of the plant. Source: Weizmann Institute magazine.

Tomato in beet skin: healthier, more durable, more purple

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When the scientists broke the DNA in the gene responsible for creating the red pigment, lycopene, many tomato plants produced yellow fruits - and some of the fruits had yellow (mutant) and red (normal) segments. Source: Weizmann Institute magazine.

What is red on the outside and delicious on the inside

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Salt crystals on top of a leaf of a mangrove plant, which is resistant to salt water. Source: / Ulf Mehlig Wikimedia.

The salty solution: irrigation with diluted seawater

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Graffiti in New York against genetically modified food. Photo: hikinghillman / flickr.

Don't be afraid, it's just genetically modified food

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Edit the mushroom

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wheat From Wikipedia

Research reveals potential for modern domestication of edible plants

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Illustration depicting the behavior of a drop of water in oil within an electric field. [Courtesy: COPYRIGHT (C) 2015 TOYOHASHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED]

An innovative method of introducing genes into cells

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Isolation of the gene for asexual reproduction in plants. Tel Aviv University

Researchers from Tel Aviv University succeeded in isolating a gene that activated an asexual reproduction mechanism in plants

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Prof. Trudy McKay, University of North Carolina. Winner of the 2016 Wolf Prize for Agriculture

The pioneer of the genetic architecture of complex traits, Prof. Trudy McKay from the USA won the Wolf Prize for Agriculture

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A selection of fruits and vegetables. Photo: shutterstock

Producing tastier fruits and vegetables without genetic engineering / Ferris Jaber

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corn on the cob. Photo: shutterstock

A concerted effort to develop a drought-resistant maize variety for growing in Africa

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Characterization of the activity of 6 new substances responsible for the transfer of sugars in the Arabidopsis plant, close to the mustard plant, which is used as a model plant in studies of advanced biofuels. [Courtesy of Roy Kaltschmidt]

An improved method for genetic engineering of plants for biofuel

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wheat From Wikipedia

Winners of the Wolf Prize for Agriculture 2014: Returning genes lost from wild animals to domesticated animals and from wild plants to domesticated plants is essential for improving the food supply * The two are part of the nine winners who received the award from the President of the country

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Prof. Joachim Messing. From Wikipedia

"When people realize that genetically modified food has good health properties, they will prefer to consume it"

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Left: The starting cells have a 15% lipid content. Right: Transgenic cells with a content of almost 90% lipids. [Courtesy: University of Texas at Austin]

Biofuel production from yeast cells

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Prof. Jorge Dovchovski. From the University of California at Davis website

The wheat breeders won the Wolf Prize for Agriculture

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genetically modified food. Illustration: shutterstock

Reflections - genetically modified food - myth and facts / Bracha Reger and Uri Kogan

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