CIMMYT Advances Wheat Resilience with Gene Editing

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is intensifying its investment in gene editing to boost resilience in wheat crops. The center's Director General, Bram Govaerts, defines gene editing as a 'future' technology, despite prevailing regulatory and technical hurdles involving genetically modified wheat.

In an interview with PTI, Govaerts remarked that genetically modified (GM) or transgenic wheat varieties have not yet achieved commercial viability, labeling them as 'somewhat outdated technology.' Instead, he underscored the potential of gene editing in cultivating drought, flood, and disease-resistant wheat.

Govaerts described how gene-editing technology, unlike conventional genetic modification, enhances natural breeding by inducing precise adjustments within the same species, without incorporating foreign genes. CIMMYT is actively developing gene-edited wheat, ensuring accessibility to countries worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)