The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has
published a position statement on new and emerging techniques for crop
improvement. These techniques use precise genetic changes into plants, and
are currently being used in research laboratories as a tool to help
understand the function of genes.

The position statement was published after a workshop involving experts,
including plant scientists, regulators and social scientists. The statement
covers techniques commonly referred to as 'genome editing' and gene
switching.

Professor Jackie Hunter, BBSRC Chief Executive, said "In order for farmers,
both in the EU and globally, to provide a sustainable food supply, we will
need to develop crop varieties with improved characteristics, such as
drought tolerance, disease resistance or enhanced nutrient content. To do
this we must take advantage of the wide range of techniques available in
order to use the right approach for the right circumstance, such as
conventional breeding, genetic modification or newer methods like genome
editing."


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p-breeding-techniques.aspx> [www.bbsrc.ac.uk]