Researchers at Cranfield University are developing new techniques to accelerate genetic engineering in plants — with the goal of speeding up crop innovation worldwide. Focusing on tomatoes, the project aims to establish pollen-based and direct seed transformation methods that eliminate the need for tissue culture, a major bottleneck in current processes.
Traditional genetic engineering relies on tissue culture, which is slow, labor-intensive, and requires sterile conditions and specialized expertise. Additionally, many crops lack standardized protocols, and some species are particularly difficult to regenerate using these methods.
By bypassing tissue culture altogether, the Cranfield team hopes to unlock faster, more scalable approaches to crop improvement — benefiting food systems globally, according to a press release.
This project aims to revolutionize plant genetic engineering by moving away from traditional tissue culture methods. Instead, researchers will directly transform tomato seeds and pollen — significantly streamlining the process.
To achieve this, the team will use magnetic nanoparticles to deliver DNA into pollen and apply treatments that boost seed metabolism, making seeds more receptive to genetic modification. The goal: a faster, more efficient pathway for engineering plants.
To track the success of these methods, researchers will use two “reporter” genes. While these genes don’t affect tomato growth, their presence in the genome will confirm whether the transformation has worked.
Once validated, this technique could enable a wide range of improvements — from boosting yields and enhancing disease resistance to making crops more resilient to pests, drought, and other environmental stresses. It also allows for the possibility of introducing multiple genetic traits at once.
Beyond tomatoes, the method could be adapted for use in crops that are difficult to regenerate through tissue culture, such as legumes, or to accelerate breeding in long-lifecycle plants like trees. It may also open new avenues in producing high-value compounds or biomaterials for the biopharmaceutical industry.
The project is supported by nearly £500,000 in funding from the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) under the Programmable Plants initiative, which explores how plant science can help address major global challenges such as food security, climate change, and environmental degradation. The work builds on Cranfield University’s expertise within the Centre for Soil, Agrifood and Biosciences.
