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Gene editing opens door for greater crop diversity
A researcher of gene editing says the technology allows for more crop diversity.
Dr. Shannon Hauf is the global cotton, wheat, and specialty crops technology lead at Monsanto.
“The biggest thing I point out to some of these growers is the opportunity for us to work in spaces, or crops, that probably weren’t interesting when we were thinking about biotechnology.”
She tells Brownfield the cost of gene editing is considerably less than genetic modification, creating additional pathways for crops other than corn and soybeans.
“It’s interesting for crops like wheat for example, where we haven’t had biotechnology. I think (wheat) will be the recipient of a lot of opportunities in gene editing.”
And Hauf says the same is true for fruits and vegetables.
“Fruits like watermelons (as well as) cucumbers and (other) vegetables like tomatoes. Those will also have the opportunity to bring disease tolerance in those crops, which would not have even been considered if we were thinking just about biotechnology.”
The regulation of gene editing technology like CRISPR remains fluid, as the USDA, FDA, and EPA have yet to provide firm guidelines.
Plant Breeding
Dr. Maged Hamouda
Breeder Corn
Employer: Dr. Majed Hamouda
Dr. Maged Abd El Azim Hamouda
He holds a PhD, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University
Department of crops – crop breeding
The first Egyptian holds the title of breeder and intellectual property rights
Activity and work:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-maged-hamouda-6b6408a4/