Researchers at the University of Missouri (USA) have obtained rice plants that resist bacterial blight, a dangerous disease capable of destroying a significant part of the harvest. The work was published in the journal aBIOTECH. For regions of Asia and Africa where rice is a staple food, such resistance could be a serious support for farmers.
Bacterial blight reduces both the quantity and quality of grain. The head of the study, Bing Yang, a professor at the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, noted that his laboratory studies how the pathogen interacts with rice at the genetic level. This helps find ways to strengthen the plant's natural defenses.
The development is based on the gene-editing tool OpenCRISPR-1, designed with the help of artificial intelligence. Gene editing allows targeted changes to an organism's DNA, for example disabling genes that make a plant vulnerable. Previously, OpenCRISPR-1, created by the California biotechnology company Profluent, was tested on animal cells. Yang's team adapted the system for rice.
According to the researcher, unlike patented tools that require licensing agreements for commercial use, OpenCRISPR-1 is distributed as open source and is free for scientific and commercial work on genome editing of agricultural crops. This gives developers more freedom.
However, field trials and adoption are still far off. The resulting laboratory line must be transferred into commercial rice varieties, additional checks must be carried out, regulation must be passed, and partners for commercialization must be found. This could take years. Yang also sees potential in applying the approach to other crops, including corn and soybeans, as well as to addressing drought and extreme temperatures.
It is important to understand: the study demonstrates the fundamental possibility of creating resistant plants, but does not guarantee that such varieties will appear in fields in the near future. This is a laboratory result, not a ready product for farmers.