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BULLETIN 1
Early Bird Ends Soon: Get Our New Biotech Updates Subscription
Early Bird Ends Soon: Get Our New Biotech Updates Subscription
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January 28, 2026
The world's most authoritative source on biotech crop adoption is evolving. With the 2024 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops set for release this February, we are introducing enhanced Biotech Updates subscription plans to give you exclusive, deep-dive access to the latest data.
Subscribe to our Elite Plan by January 31, 2026, and you will receive the Brief 57 Slide Deck at no extra cost. This visual companion is a high-value tool for professionals, distilling the report's complex findings into ready-to-use data visualizations.
Avail of the Elite Plan (US$100), which includes the full 2024 report plus regional reports to be released each quarter. Make sure to subscribe by January 31 to secure your complimentary slide deck.
The Premium Plan (US$50) is designed for those seeking the essential data, as this plan provides full access to the 2024 full report upon its release.
Since 1996, ISAAA has served as the definitive source for agri-biotech insights. By securing an upgraded subscription today, you gain more than just a report—you gain a continuous stream of research, regulatory updates, and global trends that have been trusted by industry leaders for nearly 30 years.
Secure your upgraded Biotech Updates subscription today.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21677
Subscribe to our Elite Plan by January 31, 2026, and you will receive the Brief 57 Slide Deck at no extra cost. This visual companion is a high-value tool for professionals, distilling the report's complex findings into ready-to-use data visualizations.
Avail of the Elite Plan (US$100), which includes the full 2024 report plus regional reports to be released each quarter. Make sure to subscribe by January 31 to secure your complimentary slide deck.
The Premium Plan (US$50) is designed for those seeking the essential data, as this plan provides full access to the 2024 full report upon its release.
Since 1996, ISAAA has served as the definitive source for agri-biotech insights. By securing an upgraded subscription today, you gain more than just a report—you gain a continuous stream of research, regulatory updates, and global trends that have been trusted by industry leaders for nearly 30 years.
Secure your upgraded Biotech Updates subscription today.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21677
BULLETIN 2
Canada Approves PRRSV-Resistant Pigs for Food and Feed Use
Canada Approves PRRSV-Resistant Pigs for Food and Feed Use
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Photo Source: Genus
ISAAA January 28, 2026
On January 23, 2026, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) released a statement on the approval of genetically engineered pigs resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSV) for use in food and feed. Health Canada and CFIA confirmed that foods made from these pigs are safe and effective for human consumption and use in livestock feeds.
PRRSV is one of the most damaging viral threats to the swine industry, causing respiratory illness, reproductive failure, and significant economic losses for producers. The engineered pigs could help farmers avoid widespread herd infection, reduce antibiotic use, and improve animal welfare. The PRRSV-resistant pigs were developed by Genus PLC and PIC Canada, Ltd., and similar approvals are already in place in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.
Foods from PRRSV-resistant pigs will not require special labelling, as Health Canada found no health or safety concerns associated with these pigs. While the pigs are approved for sale in Canada, Genus PLC has indicated that they do not intend to sell these pigs without further regulatory authorization in other key markets. The developers and Health Canada affirm that they remain committed to transparency and public communication as this new technology enters the Canadian market.
For more information, read the statement from Health Canada.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21673
PRRSV is one of the most damaging viral threats to the swine industry, causing respiratory illness, reproductive failure, and significant economic losses for producers. The engineered pigs could help farmers avoid widespread herd infection, reduce antibiotic use, and improve animal welfare. The PRRSV-resistant pigs were developed by Genus PLC and PIC Canada, Ltd., and similar approvals are already in place in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.
Foods from PRRSV-resistant pigs will not require special labelling, as Health Canada found no health or safety concerns associated with these pigs. While the pigs are approved for sale in Canada, Genus PLC has indicated that they do not intend to sell these pigs without further regulatory authorization in other key markets. The developers and Health Canada affirm that they remain committed to transparency and public communication as this new technology enters the Canadian market.
For more information, read the statement from Health Canada.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21673
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Enhancing genomic prediction ability of blast resistance using genome-wide association study-derived marker weights in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) populations
Félicien Akohoue, Cristian Camilo Herrera, Silvio James Carabali Balanta, Juanita Torres, Constanza Quintero, Gloria Mosquera & Maria Fernanda Alvarez
TAG; January 30 2026; vol. 139; article 52
Félicien Akohoue, Cristian Camilo Herrera, Silvio James Carabali Balanta, Juanita Torres, Constanza Quintero, Gloria Mosquera & Maria Fernanda Alvarez
TAG; January 30 2026; vol. 139; article 52
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Key message
Leaf and panicle blast resistances were moderately correlated and controlled by several genes, including Pi2/Pi9 and Pi33. GWAS-based marker weighting increased GBLUP predictive ability by up to 37% across two rice populations.
Abstract
Breeding for blast resistance remains a high priority in rice (Oryza sativa L.) improvement, yet the genetic complexity of leaf blast (BL) and panicle blast (PB) continues to challenge prediction accuracy in genomic selection (GS). Traditional GS approaches, such as genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP), assume equal contribution from all markers, potentially limiting the capture of key resistance loci. Recent advances integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) into GS offer new opportunities to weight markers based on their biological relevance. In this study, we dissected the genetic architecture of BL and PB resistance in two diverse rice populations and evaluated the performance of three weighted GBLUP models that incorporate marker information from GWAS. Marker weighting strategies included FST-based weighting (FST-w), squared additive effects (AE-w), and − log10(p)-based weighting (− log10(p)-w). We identified significant marker-trait associations (MTAs), including key loci near the Pi2/Pi9 cluster and Pi33 gene regions on chromosomes 6 and 8. A moderate genetic correlation (0.43–0.44) between BL and PB severity suggests partially shared genetic control. Across traits and populations, AE-w and − log10(p)-w models improved predictive ability by 4–37% (0.03–0.23) and reduced normalized root mean square error by 3.8−35.3% relative to the unweighted GBLUP. These results demonstrate the value of integrating GWAS into GS (GS + GWAS) and highlight marker weighting as a practical strategy to enhance prediction accuracy for complex traits like blast resistance, ultimately accelerating genetic gains in rice breeding programs.
See: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-026-05159-z
Breeding for blast resistance remains a high priority in rice (Oryza sativa L.) improvement, yet the genetic complexity of leaf blast (BL) and panicle blast (PB) continues to challenge prediction accuracy in genomic selection (GS). Traditional GS approaches, such as genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP), assume equal contribution from all markers, potentially limiting the capture of key resistance loci. Recent advances integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) into GS offer new opportunities to weight markers based on their biological relevance. In this study, we dissected the genetic architecture of BL and PB resistance in two diverse rice populations and evaluated the performance of three weighted GBLUP models that incorporate marker information from GWAS. Marker weighting strategies included FST-based weighting (FST-w), squared additive effects (AE-w), and − log10(p)-based weighting (− log10(p)-w). We identified significant marker-trait associations (MTAs), including key loci near the Pi2/Pi9 cluster and Pi33 gene regions on chromosomes 6 and 8. A moderate genetic correlation (0.43–0.44) between BL and PB severity suggests partially shared genetic control. Across traits and populations, AE-w and − log10(p)-w models improved predictive ability by 4–37% (0.03–0.23) and reduced normalized root mean square error by 3.8−35.3% relative to the unweighted GBLUP. These results demonstrate the value of integrating GWAS into GS (GS + GWAS) and highlight marker weighting as a practical strategy to enhance prediction accuracy for complex traits like blast resistance, ultimately accelerating genetic gains in rice breeding programs.
See: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-026-05159-z
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FIGURE:
Manhattan plots showing marker-trait associations for leaf blast (BL) and panicle blast (PB) severity. a = SSD Tropics population and b = 3K population. The red solid line represents the corrected Bonferroni threshold, serving as the cutoff for significant markers
