Genome editing of plants using laser-induced shock waves

Agriculture is undergoing a major transformation process in which economic, ecological, and social interests must be reconciled. Modern plant breeding plays a key role in achieving the political goals for agriculture outlined in the EU member states' Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, and Common Agricultural Policy. The steady increase in the world's population, limited cultivation area, scarcity of water resources, extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, and the spread of pathogens require the development of high-yielding, nutritious, and resilient crops.  The ASTORIA project aims to address these challenges and develop a precise, fast, and efficient plant breeding method to increase sustainability in agriculture.

The main objective of the project is to validate and further develop a patent-pending technology for laser-induced genome editing, which is intended to facilitate plant breeding. The approach involves developing a process that uses shock waves from cavitation bubbles to efficiently modify the genetic material of plant cells. The process has already been demonstrated using tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) as an example. The work is being carried out by Fraunhofer IME, with the aim of transferring the technology to various economically relevant crops and identifying potential licensees. The project results should enable the development of new, adaptable plant varieties, which will benefit both agriculture and society by contributing to food security and climate protection.