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The government of Argentina has officially announced a significant scientific achievement involving researchers from different countries. The National Biotechnological Program INTA and the Fontagro organization are financing this work, which contributes to scientific and innovative developments in food and agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean Basin.
Rhizobia are important bacteria responsible for biological nitrogen fixation, which is crucial for increasing agricultural crop yields. Scientists have been able to use CRISPR/Cas9 genetic editing technology to increase soybean yields by 6% without undesirable changes or the introduction of foreign DNA.
One of the leading researchers, Nicolas Ayub, explained that the research initially focused on editing commercial inoculants used in Argentina and Brazil. In addition to increasing soybean yields, this technology helps retain nitrogen in the soil and reduce fertilizer costs by up to 10%.
The project's results enable regulatory authorities in food-producing countries to view these microorganisms as non-GMO, facilitating their easy commercialization.
This is the first successful case of genetic editing of rhizobia using CRISPR/Cas9 targeted at agricultural production rather than model bacteria. The technology has been optimized, and the removal of plasmids post-editing ensures the absence of transgenes in the final product.
Future research will focus on testing the technology in different regions and collecting information to assess and approve the equivalence of edited rhizobia to traditional inoculants.
The significance of this achievement lies in the fact that unlike plants and animals, rhizobia cannot be improved through breeding. This discovery opens up new possibilities for improving inoculants and their application in agriculture.
In addition to increasing soybean yields, this technology can be applied to enhance phosphorus solubility in soil, pest control, nitrogen fixation in grains, and methane breakdown in animal husbandry.
For agricultural production, this is a breakthrough that allows for increased production using fewer resources and aligning with principles of efficiency and sustainability.
