Precision breeding debate highlights potential for reduced fertilizer use and ongoing concerns about seed patents

A debate at the Groundswell event highlighted divisions among U.K. farmers regarding precision breeding. Researchers emphasized the potential of gene-edited wheat to reduce fertilizer use, while critics cautioned that patent protections could restrict farmer access to new varieties. This discussion coincides with England’s implementation of the Precision Breeding Act 2023, which regulates gene-edited crops differently from genetically modified organisms if the changes could have occurred naturally.

Dr. Elizabeth Stockdale of NIAB, who chaired the panel, explained that precision breeding accelerates natural genetic changes without introducing foreign DNA. Prof. Cristóbal Uauy, director of the John Innes Centre, presented research on gene-edited wheat that forms stronger relationships with mycorrhizal fungi, allowing plants to absorb nutrients and water more efficiently. He noted that enhancing these soil partnerships could improve nutrient uptake, reduce fertilizer needs, and restore beneficial traits lost through modern wheat breeding.

Despite the technology’s promise, concerns about intellectual property dominated the discussion. Lincolnshire farmer Peter Lundgren argued that patenting naturally occurring traits could prevent farmers from saving seed and limit independent breeding, echoing earlier concerns about genetically modified crops. Pat Thomas, director of Beyond GM, called for mandatory transparency and labeling to help farmers and consumers make informed decisions.

Oxfordshire farmer and British On-Farm Innovation Network director Tom Allen-Stevens advocated for broader commercial field trials so growers can assess the crops in real farming conditions. With Defra-funded trials underway and labeling rules still in development, questions about ownership, transparency, and farmer access remain unresolved, even as gene-edited wheat may reduce fertilizer demand through improved nutrient efficiency. See our earlier coverage of the first gene-edited crop trial under the U.K.’s precision breeding law.

Source: Farmers Weekly