News & Events

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and other cereal crops worldwide. Improving FHB resistance has been a major focus in many wheat genetics and breeding programs globally. However, only a few major loci have been effectively deployed, limiting progress in breeding for FHB resistance.

Researchers from India used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to improve rice resistance to sheath blight. The disease, caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani, leads to significant yield losses and remains difficult to manage due to the limited availability of resistant rice varieties. In the study published in Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, the research team was able to reduce rice's susceptibility to the disease while maintaining normal growth and yield.

Joint FAO/UNICEF/Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France News Release Kabul, Afghanistan – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of France are supporting earthquake-affected communities in eastern Afghanistan to restore food security, improve nutrition and protect livelihoods.

Sheath blight (ShB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is one of the most destructive diseases of rice, causing substantial yield losses worldwide. Effective management remains challenging due to the absence of resistant genetic sources and the ability of the pathogen to persist under diverse environmental conditions. The sugar transporter OsSWEET11 acts as a susceptibility factor by facilitating pathogen-induced sucrose efflux, but complete loss-of-function mutations compromise grain filling and yield.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has announced that it is seeking public comment on a petition to deregulate a variety of African marigolds developed using genetic engineering. This variety has been modified to produce red flowers, a trait not typically found in traditional African marigolds.

Food loss and waste (FLW) can be a reservoir and even an accelerator for anti-microbial resistance (AMR), highlighting that it should be integrated into AMR surveillance and management strategies, according to experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Discarding FLW into landfills or open dumps intensify AMR risks, while some food waste processes such as composting can if done properly reduce antimicrobial resistance genes, according to “Risk of antimicrobial resistance spreading via food loss and waste,” a new scientific review paper published in Infectious Diseases of Poverty, an open access, peer-reviewed journal.

Background: The coordinated improvement of yield, quality and resistance is a primary goal in rice breeding. Gene editing technology is a novel method for precise multiplex gene improvement. Methods: In this study, we constructed a multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 vector targeting yield-related genes (GS3, OsPIL15, Gn1a), fragrance gene (OsBADH2) and rice blast resistance gene (Pi21) to pyramid traits for enhanced yield, quality, and disease resistance in rice.

University of Exeter scientists have created the world's first genetically engineered wax moths, a development that could drastically reduce the use of mice and rats in medical testing. These "sensor moths" are specifically designed to help combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), currently one of the most significant threats to global human health. By adapting genetic tools originally used for fruit flies—including CRISPR-Cas9—researchers produced moth larvae that glow when responding to infection or antibiotics.

Director-General QU Dongyu led Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations at FAO headquarters, emphasizing that the Organization would draw inspiration from the Year of the Horse to advance its efforts toward accelerated progress in achieving its objectives. In his address to the ceremony, Qu said FAO finds in the Year of the Horse's spirit a powerful message aligned with the Organization’s shared mission.

Mitochondrial crosstalk between tumor cells and components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a critical yet underexplored mechanism driving hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Here, we demonstrate that in HCC, mitochondria can be transferred from hepatic stellate cells to cancer cells via tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), supplying essential energy for tumor growth. Simultaneously, cancer cells offload damaged mitochondria to macrophages through extracellular vesicles (EVs), facilitating their clearance and promoting tumor development.

Regulatory bodies, the media, and the public are now exhibiting a growing acceptance of gene-edited crops, according to Dan Jenkins, vice-president of Pairwise, who delivered a talk on gene editing in a webinar hosted by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). “Things are progressing really well around the world,” Jenkins said, and provided an overview of the status of regulations for gene-edited crops.