Editing grapevine DNA could boost resistance to disease and drought

For the first time, a team of researchers from Stellenbosch University (SU) and the Agricultural Research Council has successfully edited the DNA of a woody crop plant in Africa by making precise changes to its genetic material. This is a major milestone for plant biotechnology on the continent. Using CRISPR technology—a tool that enables scientists to cut and edit DNA at very specific points—the researchers switched off a single gene (VvDMR6.1) in grapevine plants. This gene is linked to how plants respond to disease. The researchers say that this change made the plants less vulnerable to downy mildew, a major disease that affects vineyards around the world.