Chinese researchers develop new type of high-yielding rapeseed

Chinese researchers have used gene-editing technology to develop a new type of high-yielding rapeseed, according to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

Farmers harvest rapeseed in Jingchuan County, Pingliang City of Gansu Province on June 1, 2019. [File Photo: VCG]

Plant height and branch number are essential components of rapeseed plant architecture and are directly correlated with its yield. Improvement of plant architecture is a major challenge in rapeseed breeding.

Researchers from the Oil Crops Research Institute of CAAS used CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool to knock out the gene called BnaMAX1s in rapeseed, which resulted in a rapeseed variety with reduced height, increased branch number and more siliques. The yield per plant increased by about 30 percent.

The research provides germplasm resources for the cultivation of high-yield varieties of rapeseed. The research was published online in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.