Researchers use CRISPR to create white strawberries

Researchers have successfully used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to transform red strawberries into white ones by modifying a single dominant copy of a specific gene. The study, published in the journal Horticulture Research, focused on the ‘Florida Brilliance’ variety.

Because cultivated strawberries are octaploid, meaning they possess eight sets of chromosomes, they contain multiple copies of most genes. This genetic redundancy typically makes precise modification difficult, as altering one copy often fails to produce a visible change. However, scientists identified that targeting only the dominant MYB10-1B gene copy—a key regulator of anthocyanin production—was sufficient to halt the red pigmentation process.

This breakthrough demonstrates that highly targeted gene editing can be applied to complex polyploid crops without affecting other related gene copies. The ability to precisely manipulate specific traits in such complex genetic structures opens new possibilities for improving crop flavor, nutritional value, and environmental resilience.