Scholars Call for Reference to EU Gene Editing Regulations to Enhance Taiwan's Crop Resilience

Central News Agency Report

(CNA reporter Wang Shu-fen, Taipei, July 14) The European Union's 'New Genomic Techniques (NGT)' regulations will take effect on the 16th. The Taiwan Science Media Center held a press conference today, where attending scholars emphasized that the key difference between gene editing and genetic modification is the absence of foreign genes. They urged Taiwan to follow the EU model to enhance plant resilience to environmental stress.

The Taiwan Science Media Center hosted an online press conference titled 'EU's New Regulations on Gene-Edited Crops and Potential Impacts on Taiwan.'

The center recognizes genome editing technology as a critical international trend aimed at maintaining crop viability and yield under global warming and environmental changes. Since Taiwan does not currently distinguish between genetic modification and gene editing, it lacks corresponding regulations to adapt to new technologies. As the EU updates its regulations on plants, animals, and food safety, Taiwan will struggle to implement import inspection and control without a matching regulatory framework.

Tu Yi-yin, Professor at National Taiwan University's Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and Pan Yi-chun, Associate Professor at National Chung Hsing University's Department of Horticulture, both expressed positive views on the EU's new regulations and urged Taiwan to consider adopting a similar approach.

Professor Tu noted that as climate change intensifies, plants are increasingly vulnerable to environmental stresses such as high and low temperatures, drought, and pests. Crop improvement through breeding can enhance stress tolerance, reduce chemical pesticide use, increase yields, and promote environmental sustainability and habitat conservation. Additionally, crop improvement can enhance quality and economic value, enabling agriculture to balance stability with market competitiveness.

Tu explained that traditional crop improvement relies on hybrid breeding or mutagenesis breeding—using chemicals or radiation to induce random mutations and then screening large populations for desired traits—or genetic transformation, which inserts foreign DNA sequences into plant chromosomes. All these methods typically require more than 10 years.

In contrast, gene editing requires less time and cost, reducing development time to about five years. Moreover, the editing outcomes can closely resemble naturally occurring variations or those produced by mutagenesis at the sequence level.

Associate Professor Pan explained that genetic modification involves randomly inserting foreign genes from humans, animals, plants, insects, or bacteria into a plant's genome, usually requiring risk assessment and management. Gene editing, however, precisely modifies specific chromosomal locations without introducing foreign genes, allowing more controlled changes to target traits. For example, a particular cherry tomato variety may taste excellent but tends to drop fruit when ripe, discouraging farmers from cultivating it. Gene editing could be used to address such issues.

Pan noted that the EU classifies gene-edited crops into two categories: NGT1 and NGT2. NGT1 is considered similar to conventional breeding, while NGT2 is closer to GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and thus subject to GMO-related regulations. NGT1 must meet multiple conditions simultaneously—for example, no more than three editing sites within a single gene, no more than 20 total edits, and changes must not involve herbicide tolerance or known insecticidal substances. Any crops failing to meet these criteria are classified as NGT2.

Pan emphasized that gene editing can help strengthen plant resilience to stress, reduce fertilizer and water use, improve harvest efficiency, and alleviate labor shortages and aging in rural areas. Taiwan should consider establishing a gene editing and regulatory system that balances scientific risk assessment with innovation, supporting sustainable agriculture.

Pan warned that amid global instability and increasing import dependency, Taiwan may face risks of unstable food or raw material supplies and rising prices. By using gene editing to adapt imported crops for local production and cost control, Taiwan could strengthen its basic food security—for example, feed crops such as soybeans and corn.

Pan cited Taiwan's mangoes, recently popular in European exports, as an example. If gene editing could improve their shelf life or further enhance Taiwan's orchids and fruits, it could significantly boost exports and the seedling industry.

Professor Tu highlighted Taiwan's advantage in developing gene editing: a well-established tissue culture system. This is a key component in gene editing applications, making any crop amenable to tissue culture suitable for gene editing—such as orchids, papayas, cucumbers, and bitter melons. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150714