1 Apr 2026

Gene-edited wheat cuts grain free asparagine by up to 93% in field trials

Food and agriculture
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What was demonstrated

A 2026 Plant Biotechnology Journal paper by Kaur and colleagues (Rothamsted Research and partners) reports CRISPR/Cas9 knockouts in the wheat cultivar Cadenza, grown in two field seasons (2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024) at one site in Harpenden, UK. Combined across both seasons, the TaASN2 knockout reduced free asparagine in the grain by 59%, and the TaASN1/2 knockout reduced it by 93%, both compared with Cadenza. The abstract reports that yield was not affected in the edited lines. In bread from the TaASN1/2 line, acrylamide was below the detection limit. In biscuits from the same line, acrylamide was 93% lower than the control according to the abstract (92% according to the full text). After four minutes of toasting, acrylamide remained at 8% (TaASN1/2) and 23% (TaASN2) of the control.

Why it matters

Acrylamide, a toxic contaminant, forms from free asparagine during baking and toasting, and the paper treats asparagine as its precursor. If the reductions hold in commercial varieties and growing conditions, gene editing could lower acrylamide in wheat-based foods at the grain level.

Caveats

  • The results come from two field seasons at a single site (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK), so they may not hold in other climates, soils or growing practices.
  • The full text reports that the combined edited lines yielded about 1.1% less than Cadenza (7.892 vs 7.982 t/ha, p = 0.034) and that thousand grain weight fell by 13%. The authors do not attribute the yield difference to the edit. The abstract's statement that yield was not affected should be read with this in mind.
  • Acrylamide remained after toasting (8% and 23% of the control after four minutes), so the reduction is not a complete removal.
  • The lines are experimental, in the Cadenza (CRISPR) and Claire (chemically mutagenised TILLING) backgrounds. Regulatory status and consumer acceptance are not covered by this record.

Technology profiles

Sources

  1. peer reviewed paper
    Field Trials and Baking Studies of Ultra-Low Asparagine, Genome Edited (CRISPR/Cas9) and Mutant (TILLING) Wheat
    Navneet Kaur, Sarah Raffan, Suzanne J. Clark et al.. Plant Biotechnology Journal (Wiley), 1 Apr 2026. DOI: 10.1111/pbi.70661.

Last reviewed 21 Oct 2026.