Precision breeding release notice (reference: PBR/26/004)
Published 21 April 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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Information provided to the Secretary of State alongside a notice of intention to release a precision bred plant under schedule 1 of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025.
1. Name and address of the person proposing to release the precision bred plant
UK SEEDSCO LTD., Unit H4 Building H, Melbourn Science Park, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, SG8 6HB
2. Description of others assisting in the release of the precision bred plant
Corteva Agriscience UK Limited
3. General description of the precision bred plant
a) Genus and species
Glycine max
b) Intended alterations to characteristics of the plant
Aim to develop early flowering soybean with increased adaptation potential to European higher latitude growth conditions.
c) Types of genetic changes introduced to cause these alterations
Gene knock-out of soybean flowering repressors1 via the introduction of SDN1-type mutations (deletions of 2 to 17 base pairs) using a CRISPR-Cas9 multiplex strategy to induce an early flowering phenotype. Different combinations of knock-out of flowering repressors will be tested with lines containing base pair deletions in 3 to 5 flowering repressor genes.
d) Techniques of modern biotechnology used to make these genetic changes
The CRISPR-Cas9 technology was used via stable transformation to generate double stranded breaks in multiple soybean flowering repressors which were subsequently repaired by a native cellular mechanism called Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ). The selected segregating plants were evaluated to confirm the absence of unintended plasmid sequences.
4. Confirmation: preventing marketing
The person with overall responsibility for the release must confirm they will put in place any necessary appropriate measures to prevent material from the precision bred plant being marketed until such time as a precision bred confirmation is issued in respect of the plant.
Confirmed
5. Confirmation: meeting precision breeding criteria
The person with overall responsibility for the release must confirm they have assessed that all plants covered by the release notice meet the criteria for a precision bred organism as set out in section 1 (2) of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
Confirmed