Research and analysis

Qualifying higher plant notification (reference: 24/Q05)

Published 23 September 2024

Applies to England

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

Demonstration of low asparagine, low acrylamide, genome edited wheat (Triticum aestivum) and high lipid genome edited barley (Hordeum vulgare) at an agricultural show.

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

The aim of the project is to grow a one meter squared plot of each of low asparagine, genome edited wheat, and high lipid genome edited barley, for demonstration at an agricultural show. The wheat will be sown at the show site in October 2024 and the barley in the spring of 2025.

The edited wheat line (Line 23) was produced in the Cadenza background using the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system with the Cas9 nuclease. It contains INDELS in the asparagine synthetase gene, TaASN2. It has been shown to contain no foreign DNA derived from the plasmids used in the editing process, including all three transgenes (Cas9, Bar and gRNA), using standard PCR protocols and whole genome sequencing.

The barley line has two copies of the SDP1 lipase gene knocked out using CRISPR/Cas9. It too has been confirmed to be free of any foreign DNA arising from the editing process, using PCR and whole genome sequencing.

The plots will remain until the end of the show, at which point the plants will be removed or sprayed off. No part of the plants (grain or vegetative) will be allowed to enter the food chain.

3. The full names of the qualifying higher plants to be released under the project

Plant 1

(a) family name: Poaceae - subfamily Pooideae

(b) genus: Triticum

(c) species: Triticum aestivum (bread wheat; common wheat)

Plant 2

(a) family name: Poaceae - subfamily Pooideae

(b) genus: Hordeum

(c) species: Hordeum vulgare (barley)

4. The expected date on which the project will start

The wheat plot will be sown on 1 October 2024 or thereafter, subject to weather conditions.

The barley plot will be sown in spring 2025.

5. The expected duration of the project

The plants will be removed or sprayed off at the end of the show.

6. Confirmation of appropriate measures

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

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.

I confirm that appropriate measures will be put in place to minimise this possibility. Wheat and barley are > 95 % autogamous under natural field conditions, with self-fertilisation normally occurring before flowers open. The plots will be within a show site, not within a field of wheat or barley destined for the food chain. The plants will be removed or sprayed off at the end of the show.

7. Confirmation that project meets the criteria set out in ACRE guidance

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. I confirm that the wheat and barley lines to be grown in this experiment meet the criteria described in that document.