CRISPR-based genome editing technology and its applications in oil crops

Oil crops,mainly comprised of soybean,rapeseed,groundnut,sunflower and etc.,have provided substantial edible oil and other tremendous nutrients for human beings,as well as valuable biofuels for associated industries.The genetic improvement of significant oil crops and/or domesticating novel high-yielding oil crops are in urgent need to cope with the ever-increasing demand for various oil crop products.CRISPR(Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based genome editing technology,born a few years ago,edits stretches of DNA in a targeted and RNA-dependent fashion.The Characteristics of targeted mutagenesis and easy manipulation owned by the technology make it have been applied to many plants and exhibited great potential in the genetic improvement of many important oil crops.In the face of growing need for oil crop products and the rapid developments in CRISPR-based genome editing technology,a critical review regarding the technology and its application in oil crops is badly required to provide references for the better use of this technology to modify the oil crops for higher yield.In this review paper,we briefly described the CRISPR-based genome editing technology and summarized its applications and future prospects in oil crops.

Research progresses and prospects of medicated oil dual-purpose crop safflower based on patent mining

Safflower is widely cultivated and used as a dual-purpose medicinal oil worldwide.This research used the incoPat patent database to search the global safflower patents for nearly 20 years,aiming to reveal the development process and current situation of the safflower industry in China and around the world by analyzing patent application trends,patent technology characteristics,advantageous industries and regions,patent quality,etc.The analysis shows that safflower patent applications are generally increasing,and the period 2010-2016 is characterized by the rapid development of patent applications.The technical features of global patents are mainly concentrated in pharmaceutical preparations,cosmetics,food and health care,various beverages,animal feed,safflower cultivation and harvesting equipment,and safflower seed oil.During the rapid development of patent applications,safflower was further developed in cosmetics,edible oil,and harvesting equipment.In addition,patent applications in rheumatism and bone diseases have increased,with the potential for development.China is the leading region for researching and developing medicinal safflower patents,especially Shandong and Henan provinces.Foreign patents are more focused on the value development of safflower seed oil in food and chemicals.Compared to the major countries and organizations that apply for safflower patents on a global scale,the quality of Chinese safflower patents is medium,and more awareness of patent protection is required.This paper provides suggestions for the subsequent development of the safflower industry,summarizes and analyzes the development trend of safflower patents,and provides new ideas to obtain innovative patent results.

Oil Crop Science征稿启事

Oil Crop Science是中国农业科学院油料作物研究所新创办的全国唯一的一种有关油料作物专业英文学术期刊。采用国际通用的交流语言,实现扩大我国油料作物研究成果的国际化交流,促进我国油料作物学科发展,以及提升我国油料作物科研及学术期刊的国际影响力和显示度的办刊宗旨。主要刊登油菜、大豆、花生、芝麻、向日葵、胡麻及其他特种油料作物有关生物技术、品种资源、遗传育种、栽培生理、土肥植保、

Progress and future development of hybrid rapeseed in China

The hybrid growth of rapeseed now has reached to 4.7×106hm2,accounting for 70 % of total rapeseed growth area in China. Over the last 40 years,the researches and utilizations of hybrid rapeseed in China have significantly contributed to the development of rapeseed industry in China. The production of hybrid rapeseed mainly utilizes cytoplasmic male sterility(CMS),combined at the same time with nuclear male sterility and other pollinating-control systems in China. The hybrid rapeseed studies in China are also characterized by the improvement of quality and oil content in hybrid breeding. Future studies to enhance the heterosis of rapeseed will be focused on several important issues,including the combination of heterosis and ideotype breeding,further increase of oil content in hybrids,utilization of sub-genomic heterosis and resistance improvement. The paper will discuss the following perspectives in hybrid rapeseed studies:relationships among heterosis,quality and disease traits,solutions for excessive source and pool in hybrids compared with open-pollinated cultivars,and the importance of increasing harvest index of hybrids to achieve a better yield in hybrids.