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Learn more about the need for CRISPR-Cas in agriculture and how it works to develop healthy seeds for improved characteristics like drought tolerance and longer-shelf life.
What is CRISPR-Cas?
Did You Know?
Abundant Potential for Agriculture
The people who grow our food face real challenges because plants are under constant stress from things like climate change, drought and disease. These challenges coupled with rapid population growth and changing diets, require agricultural innovation to keep pace. CRISPR-Cas is a more efficient means for developing sustainable solutions to these evolving conditions and is one of the tools that could help keep pace with this growing demand.
Based on a natural system, CRISPR-Cas can be applied to precisely improve a seed without incorporating DNA from another species. It’s a continuation of what people have been doing since plants were first domesticated – selecting for desired characteristics, such as higher yields, disease resistance, longer shelf life or better nutrition.
Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont is a leader in the field of CRISPR-Cas for the development of agricultural products, specifically in row crops like corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, canola and sunflowers. We believe that the true value of this important plant breeding innovation will be achieved through active engagement with customers, academia, governments, NGOs and public research institutes to solve the toughest agricultural challenges. Pioneer is seeking to collaborate with others to further the science and expand the adoption of CRISPR-Cas across all crops, including fruits and vegetables.
CRISPR-Cas Advanced Plant Breeding
This downloadable infographic summarizes how CRISPR-Cas helps our scientists develop innovative and sustainable solutions for growers similar to those realized through conventional plant breeding practices, but with even greater quality and accuracy and with more efficient development timelines.
Right now, we are working toward bringing a next generation of waxy corn hybrids—our first product developed with CRISPR-Cas—to the U.S. market before the end of the decade, pending field trials and appropriate regulatory reviews.
Visit the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) for more information about plant breeding.
What Is Waxy Corn?
Waxy corn produces a high amylopectin starch content that is used for many everyday consumer food, livestock feed and non-food uses, including adhesives and high-gloss paper. However, traditional waxy corn hybrid plants yield less than non-waxy corn hybrid equivalents. With CRISPR-Cas, we can deliver higher-yielding waxy corn products and more efficiently.