How a genetically modified, disease-resistant Australian banana could prevent a global crop collapse

Source: ABC Science 

In a small plot in the Northern Territory, banana plants have thrived for almost a decade in soil that should kill them. According to those who have tried the fruit, they taste exactly like a banana should. But the plants near Humpty Doo have a secret hiding in their DNA: a genetic modification that protects bananas from a disease that is on the verge of wiping out crops around the world. James Dale, an agricultural biotechnology researcher at the Queensland University of Technology, helped develop the disease-resistant banana — the world’s first genetically modified banana to be approved in Australia.

Commercial release of cotton genetically modified for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance (Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn™ cotton with XtendFlex® Technology)

Source: Office of the Gene Technology Regulator

Australia’s Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has issued license DIR 216 to Bayer CropScience Pty. Ltd., authorizing the commercial release of cotton genetically modified (GM) for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. 

The GM cotton contains 4 introduced genes from a common soil bacteria that confer insect resistance to common pests of cotton. Three of these genes provide protection against bollworms and one provides protection against certain bugs, aphids and thrips.  The GM cotton also contains 3 introduced genes for tolerance to herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate, and dicamba. The genes enable the GM cotton plants to grow in the presence of these herbicides, which can be used to control weeds in the GM cotton crop. 

Colorado foundation, Bioceres to develop HB4 wheat commercially

Source: Capital Press – 24 September 2025

Argentina-based Bioceres Crop Solutions Corps and the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation will jointly develop and commercialize HB4 wheat in the United States.  HB4 is a transgenic wheat trait that incorporates drought tolerance transferred through a sunflower gene. According to Bioceres, HB4 wheat demonstrated up to a 43% yield improvement in targeted environments. As part of the collaboration, Bioceres will grant the research foundation “exclusive, sublicensable rights” to the HB4 trait in the U.S. territory.

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center shifts focus to gene editing for wheat resilience as GM varieties stall

Source: Economic Times – 21 September 2025

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is ramping up investments in gene editing technology to enhance wheat crop resilience, with Director General Bram Govaerts calling it a “future” technology amid ongoing regulatory and technical challenges facing genetically modified wheat. 

ABCA Communique – 07 March 2025

Dr Joe Smith | Chair

The Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA) convened at the National Press Club in Canberra today, bringing together leading farming, agriculture, biotechnology, industry, and science organisations, as well as key stakeholders. The meeting provided a forum to address current and significant issues related to biotechnology and Australian agriculture. Read more.

Source: Farm Journal, AgWeb

Nearly three dozen Nobel laureates have joined more than 1,000 scientists in urging members of the European Parliament to embrace science-based gene editing technology. New Genomic Techniques, they write in a petition, “hold immense promise for sustainable agriculture, enhanced food security, and innovative medical solutions.” As farmers who worry about the future of food production in an era of climate change, we join this distinguished group in asking the policymakers of the EU to open their minds to the amazing potential of this technology.

Source: Genetic Literacy Project

The glacial pace of the U.S. FDA’s approval process for genetically engineered food animals has inhibited innovation for decades. It wasn’t until 2021 that the first of them — the AquAdvantage Atlantic salmon tweaked using transgenic engineering (which makes it a “GMO”) to grow twice as quickly as the unaltered variety — finally went on sale in the US. The FDA review of the fish took more than 20 years. (Compare that to the five-month review of human insulin, the first biopharmaceutical, which was approved in 1982.)

Source: New Scientist 

Researchers have engineered cows’ muscle cells that can multiply without the assistance of an expensive and energy-intensive growth-boosting substance. If scaled up, they are optimistic this could slash the production costs of lab-grown meat, but they stress that it is still early days. Lab-grown, or cultivated, meat can be produced from animal cells. Approved for sale in countries such as the US and the Netherlands, it has been touted as a more ethical and sustainable substitute to conventional meat, by avoiding the slaughter of animals and using fewer resources, such as water. But the current, small-scale methods of producing lab-grown meat have still proven to be extremely energy intensive and expensive.

Source: Science Nigeria

In a groundbreaking move, the Federal Government of Nigeria has given the green light for the commercial release of (GM) maize varieties designed to combat insect infestations and thrive in drought conditions. These transformative maize varieties, collectively known as ‘TELA’ maize, received approval on January 11, 2024.

The four approved varieties, SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T and SAMMAZ 75T, are heralded for their drought tolerance and resistance to stem-borers and fall armyworm, offering a yield advantage of up to 10 tonnes per hectare under optimal agronomic practices.

Genetic Literacy Project – 25 August 2023

On February 7–8 a small group of researchers met at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in an informal (and partly hybrid) meeting entitled “How Can Agrigenomics Help to Address Climate Change?” The workshop featured speakers from around the world convened to discuss how best to demonstrate proof of concept for selected applications and start to flesh out plans to reduce them to practice at scale.

Each of these concepts has the potential to remove gigatons of carbon from the atmosphere within the foreseeable future. Cutting emissions is important but reducing atmospheric carbon concentrations is essential. If we can’t figure out how to do that the fight is lost.

ISAAA, Biotech Updates – 12 July 2023

AgResearch, a scientific research center in New Zealand, is expanding research and development initiatives on genetically modified and gene-edited grasses. The center has included clover and endophytes to its research efforts, which initially focused on High Metabolizable Energy (HME) ryegrass. HME ryegrass has completed field trials in the US, but was temporarily withdrawn in Australia because of the complex requirements of the regulators.

Genetic Literacy Project – 14 July 2023

Farmers are looking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in a weird and wonderful way: using genetically engineered, low-methane sheep.

A project named ‘Breed for CH4nge’ has been announced in the U.K., pledging £2.9 million—$3.7 million—to breed sheep to emit as little methane as possible, helping farming get closer to net zero emissions.

ISAAA – 29 June 2023
ISAAA, in partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), released the Animal Biotechnology Resource. It serves as a public repository of information materials on animal biotechnology sourced from international workshops organized by ISAAA, USDA, Virginia Tech, and partners.

The animal biotech resources include workshop proceedings, videos, podcasts, and presentation slides tackling the latest developments in the field as well as the regulatory approaches for consideration.

New Scientist – 28 June 2023
Meat substitutes could be about to get a lot more meat-like. A UK-based company called Moolec says it has created genetically modified soya plants that produce beans in which a quarter of the soluble proteins are pig proteins. It has named its plant “Piggy Sooy”.

Moolec is also creating pea plants that contain beef proteins. It claims its products will be able to provide similar taste, texture and nutritional value as meat, but without the high costs associated with cultured meat.

Grain Central – 06 July 2023

Researchers have for the first time identified several genes in barley that could eventually lead to larger yielding crops. The research was carried out at the University of Adelaide’s Waite Research Institute and involved using genetic techniques and molecular biology to examine several historical multiovary barley mutants, and determine which genes boost fertility and make the plants more receptive to cross-pollination.