---
title: Gene-Edited Crops (CRISPR)
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/spore/china__gene-edited-crops-crispr"
hub: spore
summary: "China became the first country to approve gene-edited wheat and has certified gene-edited varieties of soybean, corn, and rice — all for 'food security independence'"
---

# Gene-Edited Crops (CRISPR)

China became the first country to approve gene-edited wheat and has certified gene-edited varieties of soybean, corn, and rice — all for 'food security independence'
- Technology Readiness Level: 7/9
- Impact: 3/5
- Investment: 4/5
China's Ministry of Agriculture issued its first gene-editing safety certificate in April 2023 for a high-oleic-acid soybean by BellaGen. Since then, approvals have expanded to wheat (powdery mildew resistant), corn, and rice. The wheat approval is globally significant — no other country has approved gene-edited wheat for cultivation.

The driving policy is food security. China feeds 18% of the world's population with 7% of its arable land. Gene editing — distinct from transgenic GMOs — allows precise trait modifications without introducing foreign DNA, making regulatory approval faster and public acceptance higher.

The CAS-developed wheat uses CRISPR to knock out susceptibility genes for powdery mildew, a fungal disease that costs global wheat production $1 billion annually. The breakthrough demonstrated resistance without the yield penalties that plagued earlier attempts.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/spore/china__gene-edited-crops-crispr)