Research and analysis

Qualifying higher plant notification (reference: 23/Q03)

Published 16 March 2023

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2023

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/qualifying-higher-plant-notification-reference-23q03/qualifying-higher-plant-notification-reference-23q03

Notification requirement for release of qualifying higher plants

Information to be provided to the Secretary of State alongside a notice of intention to release a qualifying higher plant under Schedule 3A of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022.

1. The title of the project

Field assessment of high lipid barley.

2. The aim of the project (including any matters being investigated as part of the project)

The aim of the project is to assess the agronomic performance and nutritional composition of barley that has been gene-edited, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, to accumulate more lipid (oil) in its stems and leaves. Barley is a cereal crop that’s primarily grown for grain, but it can also be grazed as forage, or cut for fodder. Like other grasses that ruminant livestock consume, barley has a low lipid content and a moderate increase in lipid has the potential to increase productivity (in meat and milk production) and reduce enteric methane emissions.

3. The full name of the qualifying higher plant to be released under the project, including:

(a) family name: Poaceae; subfamily Pooideae

(b) genus: Hordeum

(c) species: Hordeum vulgare (barley)

(d) subspecies: not applicable

4. The expected date on which the project will start

On or after 1 April 2023.

5. The expected duration of the project

Four growing seasons of spring barley (so until end of August 2026).

6. Confirmation that the person with overall responsibility for the project will put in place appropriate measures [footnote 1], as necessary, to minimise the possibility of material from the qualifying higher plant being placed on the market, for example by cross-fertilizing sexually compatible commercial crops.

I confirm that appropriate measures will be put in place to minimise this possibility. Barley is generally more than 95% autogamous under natural field conditions, with self-fertilization usually occurring before the flowers open. The gene-edited plants will also not be grown within 20 metres of any commercial crops.

7. Confirmation that the person with overall responsibility for the project has read the ACRE guidance on genetic technologies that result in ‘qualifying higher plants’ and has assessed that the higher plants covered by this notification meet these criteria

I confirm that I have read the guidance and that the barley plants covered by this notification meet the criteria described in that document.

  1. Notifiers may wish to refer to published ACRE advice concerning measures for the minimisation of cross-pollination from UK GMO crop trials authorised under retained EU legislation ↩

Back to top