Since 2021, several scientists have been developing new genetically edited rice varieties with targeted traits, such as resistance to disease ….
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) principal research officer Dr Zulkifli Ahmad Seman said they now had a potential gene-edited (GE) padi line currently undergoing the screening phase.
He said their research so far had shown that blight would only affect 11% of the leaves of GE padi.
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But the issue putting the research in limbo is whether current regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) should apply to GE crops.
Unlike GMOs, GE crops do not contain foreign DNA.
Instead, they involve precise deletions or tweaks to existing genes – a process some researchers argue is closer to accelerated natural selection.
As such, scientists and biotechnologists argue they cannot be judged according to the same standards.
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For Malaysia, the adoption of GE crops like Mardi’s blight-resistant rice could play a crucial role in enhancing food security.
However, without clear regulatory guidelines, these innovations may remain confined to research facilities.