PCR or short-read sequencing may miss partial insertions from transformation vectors. Such fragments could reclassify plants as GMOs, with major regulatory and reputational risks. Long-read WGS captures entire insertion regions, and eliminates false positives.
#genomeediting #plantscience

(3/3) Eliza plays a central role in the project: Her latest efforts focused on testing for absence of transgenes using innovative biosafety protocols, while also verifying the precision and heritability of the blight resistance for our edited rice lines.
#IamHealthyCrops #PlantScience #RiceResearch

(2/3) Her passion is, among others, research into the complex world of the root microbiome:
"I choose to work in this field because it allows me to be explorative and creative; and the scientific community is so inviting."

We at #HealthyCrops are building on this legacy, engineering disease resistance into elite varieties like Swarna-Sub1.

As pests and climate threats evolve, resilience must too.
What traits do you see as key for future rice? 🌾

@irriofficial.bsky.social breeders introgressed SUB1A into elite varieties like Swarna, IR64, and Samba Mahsuri, creating flood-tolerant rice that survives up to 2 weeks submerged.

Since 2009, these lines have supported millions of farmers across South & Southeast Asia. Read more: buff.ly/IjQiQMC

(3/3) Currently, he is working on tracking different Xanthomonas strains and their evolutionary patterns across West and East Africa. Alvaro's research helps to track blight epidemics as well as inform our targeted resistance strategies to stay one step ahead.

#IamHealthyCrops #PlantScience

(2/3) “I am studying how bacteria evolve to infect plants, how they break down resistance, and the impact of domestication in the plant-pathogen-interaction. At first I was fascinated by the immune system of plants, but once I started working on how bacteria evolve to counteract it, I was in awe.”

Bacterial blight threatens global rice yields. By editing SWEET gene promoters, we block the pathogen’s entry route and give rice broad resistance. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed the absence of foreign DNA, meeting criteria for regulatory exemption.

(3/3) Michael brings his expertise in precision phenotyping and remote sensing to our work on disease resistance in rice. At the moment, he is evaluating the agronomic performance of our latest rice lines in the field under real environmental conditions.

#IamHealthyCrops #RiceResearch #PlantScience

(2/3) His work helps improve drought and nutrient efficiency screening in crops like cassava and rice. Why does this matter?
Boosting efficiency in how we observe plants means faster, more accurate crop improvement. It’s essential for meeting global food demands under pressure from climate change.

The HHU Ideas Competition, organized by CEDUS promotes entrepreneurship at HHU by encouraging creative thinking and spotlighting start-up ideas from students, researchers, and staff across all disciplines.

Picture Copyright: Amir Ouadahi, paint the town studios