Introducing asexual reproduction through seeds – apomixis – into crop species could revolutionize agriculture by allowing F1 hybrids with enhanced yield and stability to be clonally propagated. Engineering synthetic apomixis has proven feasible in inbred rice through the inactivation of three genes (MiMe), which results in the conversion of meiosis into mitosis in a line ectopically expressing the BABYBOOM1 (BBM1) parthenogenetic trigger in egg cells. However, only 10–30% of the seeds are clonal. Here, we show that synthetic apomixis can be achieved in an F1 hybrid of rice by inducing MiMe mutations and egg cell expression of BBM1 in a single step. We generate hybrid plants that produce more than 95% of clonal seeds across multiple generations. Clonal apomictic plants maintain the phenotype of the F1 hybrid along successive generations. Our results demonstrate that there is no barrier to almost fully penetrant synthetic apomixis in an important crop species, rendering it compatible with use in agriculture.

Introducing asexual reproduction through seeds, apomixis, into crop species could revolutionize agriculture by allowing F1 hybrids with enhanced yield and stability to be clonally propagated. Engineering synthetic apomixis has proven feasible in inbred rice through the inactivation of three genes (MiMe), which results in the conversion of meiosis into mitosis in a line ectopically expressing the BABYBOOM1 (BBM1) parthenogenetic trigger in egg cells. However, only 10 to 30% of the seeds were clonal. We show here that synthetic apomixis can be induced in a F1 hybrid of rice by inducing MiMe mutations and egg cell expression of BBM1 in a single step. We generated hybrid plants that produced more than 95% of clonal seeds across multiple generations. Clonal apomictic plants maintained the phenotype of the F1 hybrid along successive generations. Our results demonstrate that there is no barrier to almost fully penetrant synthetic apomixis in an important crop species, rendering it compatible with use in agriculture.

This paper examines the neglected and underutilized crop diversity in four selected districts of the Eastern Region of Ghana to make conservation and production meaningful to local people. Through direct observation, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, the study identified 27 neglected and underutilized crop species in the four districts. The availability of these crop species varies from high to moderate, including root and tuber, vegetables, cereals, fruits, trees, medicinal plant species, and legumes. According to the respondents, Garcinia kola was highly diverse in terms of spread. The commonly grown, but underutilized crop species included Dioscorea spp. (kookoo ase bayere and afasie), Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato), Colocasia esculenta (taro), Phaseolus spp. (white-Apatram), Capsicum chinense (Kpakposhito), and Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (Afii ntoose/Ntos pa). Neglected and underutilized crop species are essential for reducing high-input demand and enhancing climate-resilient agriculture. Ensuring the sustainability of the food system requires adding value to these crop species.