In a Warwickshire trial, Corteva's gene-edited soya produced a healthy harvest, suggesting soya may be grown in Britain despite the cooler climate. Researchers removed a gene that suppresses early flowering, giving plants more time to mature.
The edited plants are growing alongside conventional varieties. They developed more strongly, while standard plants produced relatively small beans; the edited plants were beginning to turn yellow, a stage when they direct energy toward producing seeds. Soya is used in cattle and chicken feed, and UK-grown crops could reduce imports and offer farmers another crop.
Researchers say plant breeding could achieve the same change, but gene-editing is faster. The trial is being conducted in Britain partly because post-Brexit rules are more permissive for certain gene edits; closer alignment with European rules could affect future development. Researchers are also examining whether climate-change-related warming could make the UK more suitable for soya.
