Meetings – Conferences / Treffen - Veranstaltungen

Reminder: BVL event “Modern Molecular Methods in Biotechnology – Perspectives for Research and Applications“. This expert forum

will take place at the Hotel ESTREL in Berlin on 24 to 25 February 2026

The program with further details and speakers, as well as the directions to the venue can be found here: www.bvl.bund.de/mmmb2026

Secure your place for in-person participation now. The registration deadline is February 9, 2026. Register here: www.bvl-events.de/mmmb2026 

Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte

Urteil des Gerichtshofs in den verbundenen Rechtssachen C-364/24 und C-393/24 | Fidenato

Landwirtschaft: Die Mitgliedstaaten können unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen den Anbau von genetisch veränderten Organismen (GVO) in ihrem Hoheitsgebiet untersagen

Der Gerichtshof bestätigt das Verfahren, das es der Kommission ermöglicht, auf Antrag eines Mitgliedstaats mit stillschweigender Zustimmung des Zulassungsinhabers das Gebiet, in dem ein GVO angebaut werden darf, einzuschränken, und er bestätigt, dass das Verbot des Anbaus von MON-810-Mais, das in Italien auf der Grundlage dieses Verfahrens eingeführt wurde, rechtmäßig ist

https://curia.europa.eu/site/upload/docs/application/pdf/2026-02/cp260009de.pdf

URTEIL DES GERICHTSHOFS (Erste Kammer) - 5.Februar 2026(*) „ Vorlage zur Vorabentscheidung – Umwelt – Absichtliche

Freisetzung genetisch veränderter Organismen (GVO) – Maßnahmen zur Verhinderung des unbeabsichtigten Vorhandenseins von GVO in der Umwelt – Richtlinie 2001/18/EG – Art 26c Abs. 1 und 3 – Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1829/2003 – Durchführungsbeschluss (EU) 2016/321 – Verbot des Anbaus von GVO-Mais der Sorte MON 810 in Italien – Gültigkeit – Freier Warenverkehr – Art. 34 und 114 AEUV – Grundsätze der Verhältnismäßigkeit und der Nichtdiskriminierung – Unternehmerische Freiheit – Art. 16 und 21 der Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union “

In den verbundenen Rechtssachen C‑364/24 und C‑393/24

https://infocuria.curia.europa.eu/tabs/document/C/2024/C-0364-24-00000000RP-01-P-01-3408258/ARRET/315173-DE-1-html

Press and Information Unit curia.europa.eu: PRESS RELEASE No 9/26: Judgment of the Court of Justice in Joined Cases

C-364/24 and C-393/24| Fidenato

Agriculture: Member States may under certain conditions prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their territory

https://curia.europa.eu/site/upload/docs/application/pdf/2026-02/cp260009en.pdf

Ban on cultivation of genetically modified maize in Italy: EU Judgment in Joined Cases C-364/24 and C-393/24 Fidenato

https://ieu-monitoring.com/event/ban-on-cultivation-of-genetically-modified-maize-in-italy-eu-judgment-in-joined-cases-c-364-24-and-c-393-24-fidenato

Edegger J.: Italien verbietet Anbau von Genmaissorte

https://landwirt-media.com/italien-verbietet-anbau-von-genmaissorte/

Magenta A.: Agriculture, Court of Justice: EU countries may ban cultivation of GMOs on their territory

https://www.eunews.it/en/2026/02/05/agriculture-court-of-justice-eu-countries-may-ban-cultivation-of-gmos-on-their-territory/

Romeo A.: The EU Court legitimises Italia's ban on the cultivation of GM maize: According to the ruling, states may

prohibit the cultivation of GMOs without justification

https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/eu-court-legitimises-italia-ban-on-cultivation-of-gm-maize-AIcW3EGB?refresh_ce=1

Bosse J.: Patents take root in the draft NGT Plants Regulation

https://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2026/02/patents-take-root-in-draft-ngt-plants.html

John Innes Centre: Sugar beet, oilseed rape, tomatoes and dandelions: four precision breeding projects win major

funding to support UK agriculture

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115142

Bruins M.: Europe Can’t Afford to Fall Behind: Jessica Polfjärd on the EU’s NGT Turning Point

https://www.seedworld.com/europe/2026/02/06/europe-cant-afford-to-fall-behind-jessica-polfjard-on-the-eus-ngt-turning-point/

Chile moves to formalize regulatory framework for New Breeding Techniques (NBTs)

https://www.hortidaily.com/article/9807968/chile-moves-to-formalize-regulatory-framework-for-new-breeding-techniques-nbts/

European Scientist: Viewpoint—It’s time to challenge the European Union’s data-less restrictions on genetically modified

(GMO) crops

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/02/02/its-time-to-challenge-the-european-unions-data-less-restrictions-on-genetically-modified-gmo-crops/

Logos Press:  EU relaxes regulations on the circulation of transgenic products

https://logos-pres.md/en/news/eu-relaxes-regulations-on-the-circulation-of-transgenic-products/

Zukunftsstiftung Landwirtschaft: Letzte Chance - Deregulierung der Gentechnik verhindern!

Senden Sie E-Mails an die EU-Abgeordneten (siehe unten). Diese müssen das im März oder April 2026 zur finalen Abstimmung stehende neue Gentechnikgesetz ablehnen und nachbessern. 

https://zukunftsstiftung-landwirtschaft.de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/letzte-chance-gentechnik-verhindern/

Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and

media reports are ►here: January week 06/2026

Publications – Publikationen

Ricroch, A., Rahal, W.B., Genty, B. et al. (2026): Global status of genome editing versus transgenesis legislation in plants

and the current EU situation. npj Sci. Plants 2, 3 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44383-025-00016-2

Precise breeding programs using new genome editing techniques have been developed to create plant varieties adapted to climate change. We studied the regulatory status of the 196 members of the United Nations (distinguishing the four UK countries) according to their legislation on transgenesis. We identified eight statuses for these techniques: ‘allowed for any use’ (24 countries, Argentina being the first in 2015), ‘allowed for import’ (1), ‘legislation under discussion’ (37), ‘not allowed except for food aid’ (0), ‘not allowed’ (3), ‘regulated as transgenics’ (7), ‘no legislation’ (114) and ‘no data available’ (10). We discussed the current situation in the European Union (EU) as many countries are awaiting its regulation. We also examined field trials carried out by six EU countries. We looked at authorised and commercialised gene-edited (GenEd) plants. Countries that have authorised transgenic (Tr) plants are 22.6% more likely to approve GenEd plants than those that have not.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44383-025-00016-2

Selvaggi, R., Yagi, K., Pappalardo, G. et al. (2026): Public acceptance for genetic engineering techniques: the role of food

values-based information. Sci Rep | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37892-2

Genetic engineering techniques are emerging as crucial tools for addressing global food challenges. Consumer resistance however remains a major barrier to their adoption. This study explores whether framing genetical engineered foods around specific food values can increase consumers’ acceptance and willingness to pay. Using a random effects interval regression model to analyze data from 1,000 Italian consumers across five staple foods, we find that food value-based messaging significantly influences attitudes and willingness to pay. This study presents an innovative approach to reducing resistance to genetic engineering techniques, highlighting the strategic role of food values in science communication and policy-making.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-37892-2

Bartsch D., Metje-Sprink J., Priesnitz K.U., Leggewie G. (2026): Herausforderungen und Chancen für die Forschung - Neue

genomische Techniken in der Molekularen Ökologie. Biol. Unserer Zeit 1/2026 (56)

https://www.biuz.de/index.php/biuz/article/view/8620/7542

Le Page M. (2026): CRISPR grapefruit without the bitterness are now in development

Gene-editing citrus fruits to make them less bitter could not only encourage more people to eat them, it might also help save the industry from a devastating plague 

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2513798-crispr-grapefruit-without-the-bitterness-are-now-in-development/

Sertse D., Bekele W.A., McCartney C.A. (2026): Genomic Insights into Winter Wheat Breeding for Severely Cold Climates.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27 (3), 1568 | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031568

Wheat is one of the world’s most important crops, cultivated across diverse ecogeographic zones on more than ~245 million hectares annually. Classified by vernalization requirement into spring, facultative, or winter types, the latter typically achieves higher yields due to its extended growing season, reaching ~18 t ha⁻¹ and 9–10 t ha⁻¹ as a national average for Western European countries such as Germany, France, and England, compared with the global average of barely above 3 t ha⁻¹. Despite this potential, winter wheat is largely confined to regions with relatively mild winters, while vast temperate zones with extremely cold winters rely on spring wheat. Breeding has traditionally targeted the vernalization–C-repeat Binding Factor (VRN–CBF) pathway, which confers tolerance to moderately severe winters but is insufficient for extreme cold, implying the need for additional layers of adaptive mechanisms. Using multiple genotypic datasets, we identified genomic regions underlying low-temperature tolerance. Genome- and chromosome-wide scans revealed strong differentiation on chromosome 5A (526–703 Mb), overlapping the VRN–CBF loci. SNP-level FST analysis between spring and winter cultivars highlighted the VRN-A1 (586–588 Mb) region and a locus spanning 549 and 559 Mb on chromosome 6A. Further comparisons between winter accessions adapted to extreme cold (≤−12 °C) and mild winters (>0 °C) revealed a differentiated region on chromosome 3B (561–564 Mb) harbouring two key genes conferring CBF-independent cold tolerance, TRAESCS3B02G351100 and TRAESCS3B02G354000, encoding diacylglycerol kinase1 (DGK1) and peroxidase 56 (PRX56), respectively. These findings underscore alternative pathways in shaping cold adaptation, highlighting the need to broaden breeding strategies for extreme environments. We further detected a pronounced haplotype divergence between Chinese and U.S. winter cultivars reflecting distinct breeding trajectories; notably, China, where ~90% of wheat production is of the winter type, achieves national yields >5 t ha⁻¹, compared with ~3 t ha⁻¹ in the United States, where over 70% of production is winter wheat. This contrast suggests that the haplotypes enriched in Chinese winter cultivars could represent valuable resources for enhancing winter wheat performance in other regions with comparable environments.

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/3/1568

Sangwan, N., Jadaun, J., Budhwar, S. et al. (2026) Innovative insights of barley genomics and biotechnology for

nutraceuticals, sustainable agriculture, and bioeconomy. Discov Food | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-026-00808-0

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), one of the earliest domesticated cereal crops, is globally ranked after wheat, rice, and maize for its global production. It has traditionally been valued for its role in food, feed, and brewing. Barley’s potential as a cereal crop is mainly attributed to its richness in dietary fibers, mainly β-glucan in addition to starch, minerals, vitamins, and protein that make this grain an ideal food supplement. Unfortunately, only a meagre % of the barley global production is utilized owing to the acceptability issues related to organoleptic characters. Genomic approaches are the best options to develop new varieties for improvements in traits including its organoleptic characters to be preferred by the end-users. Over the last few decades, with the advent of high-throughput sequencing, and CRISPR-based genome editing, researchers are now uncovering at a faster pace the genetic architecture underlying key nutraceutical, agrotechnological and industrial traits. These breakthroughs are enabling the development of barley varieties enriched with bioactive compounds beneficial to human health, such as β-glucans and antioxidants, while also enhancing traits valuable for bioplastics, biofuels, and other industrial applications. The present review highlights various recent approaches to and novel genetic variation of cultivated and wild barley, for barley improvement. The article also discusses the applications of genetic engineering to barley yield improvement and highlights future prospects for barley genomics studies. Lastly, an overview of potential barley byproducts and chemicals for industrial, nutraceutical or food applications is presented as future perspectives for barley genetic improvement propelling barley beyond its traditional uses, positioning it as a strategic crop for future food systems and sustainable industries.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44187-026-00808-0

Ramzan, M.T., Nawab, A., Razaq, L. et al. (2026): Insights into plant abiotic stress physiology through conventional and

nonconventional approaches. Discov Agric 4, 33 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44279-026-00475-w

Abiotic stresses are among the most significant constraints on global crop productivity, adversely affecting plant growth, physiological performance, and yield stability. Environmental stresses such as salinity, drought, heat, and low temperature disrupt cellular homeostasis by impairing photosynthesis, altering membrane integrity, and inducing excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). Elucidating the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to these stresses is critical for the development of stress-resilient crop varieties. This review synthesizes recent advances derived from both conventional and emerging approaches used to investigate plant abiotic stress tolerance. Classical methodologies, including physiological assays, functional genomics, and molecular marker-assisted selection, continue to provide essential insights into adaptive traits. In parallel, modern strategies such as transcriptomics, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), proteomics, and integrated multi-omics analyses have revealed complex regulatory networks, candidate genes, and metabolic pathways associated with stress adaptation. The integration of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics enables systems-level analysis of stress signaling, gene regulation, and metabolic reprogramming, offering a comprehensive understanding of plant adaptive responses. Collectively, this review highlights the importance of combining traditional approaches with advanced omics technologies to accelerate the development of climate-resilient crops and to guide crop-specific, scalable strategies for enhancing tolerance under rapidly changing climatic conditions.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44279-026-00475-w

Li, N., Li, G., Huang, X. et al. (2026): Large-scale multi-omics unveils host–microbiome interactions driving root

development and nitrogen acquisition. Nat. Plants | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-025-02210-7

The rhizosphere microbiome plays a crucial role in determining plant performance and fitness. Nevertheless, regulatory mechanisms linking host genetic variation, root gene regulation and microbiome assembly—and their collective influence on plant nutritional traits—remain poorly understood. Here we generated and integrated 1,341 paired datasets, including root transcriptomes, rhizosphere bacterial 16S rRNA profiles and root ionomes, across 175 resequenced Brassica napus ecotypes grown at two contrasting field sites. We identified 203 highly heritable bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), many of which were significantly associated with root nitrogen (N) levels. Host transcriptome-wide gene expression and these microbial features together explained up to 45% of natural variation in N uptake while genome-wide association analyses revealed host loci regulating ASV abundance, many of which were under the control of eQTL hotspots linked to carbon and N metabolism. Isolate-level inoculation, whole-genome sequencing, metabolite profiling and confocal imaging demonstrated that the dominant, genetically regulated bacterial genus Sphingopyxis modulates auxin biosynthesis and promotes lateral root development to enhance N acquisition under stress. This study therefore identifies Sphingopyxis as a functionally relevant taxon with potential for microbiome-assisted breeding of nutrient-efficient crops.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-025-02210-7

Roy, N., Debnath, P., Srivastava, S. et al. (2026): Recent developments in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing research for edible

fungiculture. Funct Integr Genomics 26, 36 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10142-025-01810-y

Fungiculture refers to the deliberate cultivation or agricultural practice involving the growth and management of fungi. The practice encompasses the intentional culture of diverse species of macrofungi, including mushrooms and truffles, within controlled habitats or under specified conditions, in order to fulfill human requirements especially for food purpose. As the global market for edible mushrooms grows quickly, it is becoming increasingly necessary to grow novel and improved strains of edible fungi. Growing and breeding edible fungi using traditional methods is both time-consuming and difficult. So, there is a need for evolving advanced techniques at a molecular level which can help breeding of edible fungi with much better efficiency. The CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9) system is one of the most effective techniques for accurately cutting and modifying the genomes of edible fungi. In this review, we discuss how genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 has been utilized in many edible fungal species such as Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus bisporus, Cordyceps militaris, Ganoderma lucidum, Flammulina filiformis, Lentinula edodes, and others for their target specific breeding. We also discuss the working mechanism of the above-mentioned system in these mushroom species, and also the advantages and limitations of using this system in mushrooms.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10142-025-01810-y?utm_source=researchgate.net&utm_medium=article

Cveček, S., Herrero-Corral, A., Rebay-Salisbury, K., Banffy, E. et al. (2025): Beyond Genetics: Exploring Aspects of Non-

Biological Kinship in Prehistoric Times. Nat. Anthropol. 3 (4), 10016.| DOI:10.70322/natanthropol.2025.10016

This article explores alternative ways of conceptualizing kinship in prehistoric contexts beyond the confines of genetic reductionism. While ancient DNA research has revitalized interest in the archaeology of kinship, it often privileges patrilineal or matrilineal models and risks obscuring forms of relatedness not grounded in biological ties. Drawing on comparative anthropological models and archaeological case studies, the paper highlights the complexity of kinship as manifested in practices of adoption, fosterage, commensality, co-residence, and non-biological affiliation within (non)nuclear households. By integrating socio-cultural, economic, and material dimensions, it demonstrates the diverse methodological and theoretical approaches necessary to move beyond descent-centered reconstructions. The discussion advocates for an interdisciplinary framework that challenges reductionist assumptions and opens new avenues for understanding relatedness in the deep past. Finally, the article emphasizes the village as a unit of analysis within a multi-scalar approach. It presents future directions and archaeological correlates of adoption, child circulation, and fosterage derived from archaeological, genetic, and ethnographic evidence.

https://www.sciepublish.com/article/pii/722

EFSA

FEZ Panel (2026): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reseei strain

AR-822. EFSA Journal, 24(2), e9836. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.9836

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.9836

(Alle ausstehenden Bewertungen von 2025, aber erst 2026 veröffentlicht: https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/eu-list-lebensmittelenzyme-efsa-sicherheitsbewertung-2026 )