New plant system triggers crops to grow themselves with genetic upgrades

Texas Tech University scientists developed a breakthrough method that uses plants' natural wound-healing systems to create gene-edited crops in a fraction of the time. By combining two key genes, WIND1 and IPT, researchers can trigger plants to grow new shoots directly from wounded tissue, eliminating months of expensive tissue culture processes. The system works across multiple crops including tobacco, tomatoes, and soybeans, and integrates seamlessly with CRISPR editing technology to accelerate agricultural innovation.