Gene editing in breeding

Overview of China's Agricultural Animal Gene Editing: Current R&D Status and Industrialization Outlook

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Abstract

    Over the past five years, China has exhibited robust research capacity and substantial industrial potential in the field of agricultural animal gene editing. The publication output of related research ranks among the top globally, with a total of 618 papers published in domestic and international journals, including 88 in domestic journals and 530 in international ones. Meanwhile, there has been vigorous filing of invention patents concerning the application of biobreeding technologies, which primarily focus on protecting methods for trait improvement, with the cumulative number exceeding 486 patents.      Research and development efforts are heavily concentrated on major livestock, poultry, and aquatic species, including pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and key economic fish species. Research priorities are closely aligned with industry needs, targeting critical traits such as resistance to major diseases, enhanced muscle growth and meat yield, improved feed efficiency, altered coat color, and superior product quality.     While China has not yet approved any commercial breeding varieties derived from biobreeding technologies in the agricultural animal sector, research and development progress remains rapid. A large number of research institutions and enterprises have launched safety assessments for transgenic events in major commercial species like pigs, cattle, sheep, and fish. According to incomplete statistics, most biobreeding animals are currently in the intermediate trial phase, with a small number applying to enter key stages such as environmental release or production trials, thus laying a solid foundation for the eventual commercialization of end products.     Looking ahead, China's future policies for animal biobreeding are expected to simultaneously promote innovation and establish clear regulatory frameworks. The country continues to strengthen its support for the biobreeding sector and is anticipated to implement differentiated regulatory measures for gene-edited animals that do not contain foreign DNA, thereby accelerating their industrialization process. Industrialization efforts will focus intensively on addressing critical bottlenecks in the industry, prioritizing disease resistance, stress tolerance, and high quality as core objectives. Furthermore, by deepening the integration of industry-academia-research collaboration, the transformation of technological achievements will be accelerated, injecting a core driving force into the development of the livestock, poultry, and aquatic breeding industries.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Tang, B., Li, N. & Liu, X., (2026) “Overview of China's Agricultural Animal Gene Editing: Current R&D Status and Industrialization Outlook”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2294759. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.24327

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