Cibus confirms edits in Canola for initial Nutrient Use Efficiency trait

Cibus has confirmed it has made edits in Canola for its initial Nutrient Use Efficiency trait. These newly edited plants will now be tested in controlled environments. If successful, Cibus expects this will mark a milestone of what is believed to be the first NUE gene edits in a major crop in North America. The aim of the company’s NUE trait development efforts is to significantly improve crop production with lower inputs through more efficient use of soil-borne nutrients without compromising the yield growers expect. Today, only about a third of applied nitrogen fertilizer is absorbed by the plant, limiting the plant’s biomass generation and grain yield. Beyond yield and cost reduction, an NUE trait also has the potential to improve resource sustainability and positively impact air, water, and soil quality. Globally, 3% of CO2 emissions arise from the production of nitrogen fertilizer, with a 20% reduction equivalent to taking 130 million cars off the road. Cibus believes using gene editing technologies in its Rapid Trait Development System, the cornerstone of Cibus’ Trait Machine process, can improve NUE, reducing environmental impact and combatting climate change.