Research and analysis

Qualifying higher plant notification (reference: 25/Q03)

Published 20 February 2025

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/qualifying-higher-plant-notification-reference-25q03/qualifying-higher-plant-notification-reference-25q03

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 

Eliminating tuber browning.

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

Eliminate the browning of potato tubers to reduce wastage in the potato fresh and processing industry using genome editing. The edited plants will be grown under standard glass to the tuber stage for phenotyping.

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

(a) family name: Solanaceae

(b) genus: Solanum

(c) species: S. tuberosum

(d) subspecies: tuberosum

4. The expected date on which the project will start

1 September 2025

5. The expected duration of the project

24 months

6. Confirmation of appropriate measures

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.

We confirm that appropriate measures will be put in place. The QHPs will be grown in a glasshouse with access limited to those working on the project. The glasshouse, although vented, has mesh to limit insect access, and the glasshouse is located at least 400m from any from any area that could potentially be used to grow a commercial crop, therefore cross-fertilising sexually compatible commercial crops is not likely.

Plant material from field trials will be harvested, minimizing entry onto the market. Accidental cross-fertilization is unlikely since commercial potato propagation does not rely on true seed, which develops primarily through self-pollination and rarely reaches maturation.

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.

We confirm we have read and understood the ACRE guidance. The work being undertaken will cause a deletion in the genome and will not introduce any foreign DNA.

  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 ↩

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