BEIJING (XINHUA) – Chinese researchers have cultivated fragrant sorghum using CRISPR gene-editing technology.
Previous studies have found that a volatile aroma compound named 2-AP contributes to the fragrance of rice. A gene called BADH2 can regulate the accumulation of 2-AP, generating odour in crops.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences used CRISPR to knock out the SbBADH2 gene. According to the study published in the Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, the seeds and leaves of gene-edited sorghum have a significantly higher accumulation of 2-AP and smell floral and sweet.
