Plant engineering and breeding are entering an era of rapid progress thanks to the sophistication of new tools for genomics research and genetic modification. Foremost among these tools is CRISPR genome editing, which enables precise genetic changes to improve crop phenotypes. Yet several aspects of this technology would benefit from optimization. New work in Nature Biotechnology by Yang et al. tackles the lengthy time frames required to produce transgene-free edited plants. The authors introduce a CRISPR delivery method that uses rootstock grafting to transfer mobile CRISPR RNAs from a transgenic donor plant to a compatible wild-type recipient plant, enabling the creation of homozygous edited Arabidopsis thaliana plants in just one generation of breeding.

Plant engineering and breeding are entering an era of rapid progress thanks to the sophistication of new tools for genomics research and genetic modification. Foremost among these tools is CRISPR genome editing, which enables precise genetic changes to improve crop phenotypes. Yet several aspects of this technology would benefit from optimization. New work in Nature Biotechnology by Yang et al. tackles the lengthy time frames required to produce transgene-free edited plants. The authors introduce a CRISPR delivery method that uses rootstock grafting to transfer mobile CRISPR RNAs from a transgenic donor plant to a compatible wild-type recipient plant, enabling the creation of homozygous edited Arabidopsis thaliana plants in just one generation of breeding.

Plant engineering and breeding are entering an era of rapid progress thanks to the sophistication of new tools for genomics research and genetic modification. Foremost among these tools is CRISPR genome editing, which enables precise genetic changes to improve crop phenotypes. Yet several aspects of this technology would benefit from optimization. New work in Nature Biotechnology by Yang et al. tackles the lengthy time frames required to produce transgene-free edited plants. The authors introduce a CRISPR delivery method that uses rootstock grafting to transfer mobile CRISPR RNAs from a transgenic donor plant to a compatible wild-type recipient plant, enabling the creation of homozygous edited Arabidopsis thaliana plants in just one generation of breeding.