In a significant move, China has approved the safety of a gene-edited wheat variety for the first time, marking a cautious step towards the commercial growing of genetically-modified crops to bolster the country’s food security.
China has previously ramped up approvals of genetically-modified corn and soybean seeds that are higher-yielding and resistant to insects and herbicide. However, the rollout of such crops has remained slow and cautious due to concerns about the impact on health and the environment.
The key difference between genetic modification and gene editing is that the latter alters existing genes to change or improve a plant’s performance, rather than introducing foreign genes as in the case of genetic modification. Some scientists view gene editing as less risky than genetic modification.
In addition to the gene-edited wheat variety, the Chinese agriculture ministry has also approved a new genetically-modified corn variety with herbicide and insect-resistant traits, as well as a gene-edited corn variety that is higher-yielding.
These safety certificates have been approved for a period of five years, starting from May 5, as per a document published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
As the world’s biggest buyer of soybeans and corn, China aims to increase its domestic production through the use of higher-yielding seeds and reduce its grains imports, which currently exceed 100 million metric tons per year.
The approval of the gene-edited wheat variety marks a cautious step forward for China in the commercialization of genetically-modified crops. The country is also expected to pass new rules this year for the labeling of genetically-modified crops used in food products, further signaling its efforts to balance food security with public concerns.