Gene-edited cereals a step closer for English farms

Trial plots of a precision-bred wheat variety, which could lead to a ‘greener’ farming system have now been harvested, marking the start of a groundbreaking new project. 

The project is called PROBITY – A Platform to Rate Organisms Bred for Improved Traits and Yield – and brings farmers, scientists and food manufacturers together to trial the production and processing of precision-bred crops to accelerate understanding of their value to sustainable food and farming. Led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN), it is a three-year £2.2m multi-partner project, funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, which is delivered by Innovate UK. 

Precision-bred crops can be created through gene editing, a widely used technology that enables scientists to make changes to plant DNA, like those that occur naturally, but introduced in a precise, targeted manner. Gene editing speeds up the process of breeding more productive, nutritional and sustainable crop varieties. 

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 allowed for the release and marketing of certain gene-edited plants. This currently makes England the only country in Europe where this novel material can be grown in farmers’ fields.

The seed harvested from plots at the John Innes Centre near Norwich will be multiplied up during 2025, to enable farmers in England to grow trials of the crop the following year. 

Two further cereal varieties are being grown in glasshouses at Rothamsted Research, and once harvested this autumn, will also be multiplied up to be trialled on farms.

The three varieties will be grown on commercial farms and subjected to testing and scrutiny by farmers, scientists and food manufacturers to establish their potential.

Tom Allen-Stevens, Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN, said: “This is an incredibly important project for farming and food production in this country. 

“We need to produce more, nutritious food with fewer resources and with less impact on the environment. Scientists have been developing new crop varieties that could help us rise to that challenge. This project will bring those varieties from the laboratory to farmers’ fields where we can fully assess their potential, explore barriers to their adoption and pave the way for future innovation.”

Professor Nigel Halford, technical lead of PROBITY and scientist at Rothamsted Research who developed the healthier wheat line said: “It’s tremendously important that we grow these varieties on farms so that farmers and food manufacturers can see the benefits and want to use them, and that consumers can be reassured that they’re no different in practical terms from other varieties of wheat.”

The high lipid barley variety was developed by Professor Peter Eastmond at Rothamsted Research. He said: “This project is hugely significant as it’s the first time in my career that it’s been possible to grow these varieties on real farms. The work leading to this point has all been funded by the taxpayer so it is extremely important to take it to the next stage and see if this trait could stand up from a commercial point of view.”

Professor Cristobal Uauy, scientist at John Innes Centre who developed the bigger bolder wheat variety said: “This project provides a unique opportunity to work with farmers and test precision-bred crops directly in their fields. We are extremely excited as this brings us one step closer to delivering wheat varieties with traits which will help us towards regenerative agriculture, a greener farming system and enhanced nutrition and quality.”