Farmers' attitude toward CRISPR/Cas9: The case of blast resistant rice

Abstract

New breeding techniques (NBTs) for genetically modified (GM) crops, such as CRISPR/Cas9, could represent a valuable solution for achieving a sustainable agricultural system. This study examines Italian farmers' attitudes toward CRISPR/ Cas9-modified blast-resistant rice in a hypothetical context. It is one of the first studies to investigate farmers' attitudes toward NBTs. Additionally, it explores the role of sociodemographics, farm characteristics, knowledge, perceived risks, and the locus of control (LOC) in shaping attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified rice. The results show that farmers are open to this innovation and will cultivate CRISPR/ Cas9-modified rice if it is available in the market. Moreover, we find subjective knowledge, practice experience, and low perceived risk in the agri-food business to be positively associated with attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified blastresistant rice. Notably, LOC is found to be inversely related to attitude, indicating that having an external LOC improves attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified rice. The findings suggest that farmers are generally favorable to the introduction of CRISPR/Cas9 technology; thus, a revision of the current

Communicating about plant breeding and genome editing in plants: Assessment of European stakeholders, sources, channels and content

“…As academia is most trusted by all stakeholder groups, it is worth considering whether academia should address plant genome editing more actively with policymakers and farmers. There is also potential in terms of active communication with farmers: Ferrari (2021) could demonstrate that Italian rice farmers' positive attitudes towards genome‐edited plants. This is a good starting point for academia and farmers to engage and communicate with each other.…”

Advances in Environmental Biotechnology with CRISPR/Cas9: Bibliometric Review and Cutting-Edge Applications

“…Additionally, the self-sustaining method based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system shows potential for pest management, which is crucial for sustainable agricultural practices [101]. Farmers' attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9, particularly in blast-resistant rice, indicate that new breeding techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 could represent a valuable solution for achieving sustainable agricultural systems [102].…”

“…The positive reception of CRISPR/Cas9 among farmers, especially in developing blast-resistant rice, reflects the agricultural community's acknowledgment of its potential to foster sustainable agricultural systems [102]. The idea is similarly reflected in the examination of CRISPR/Cas9 for breeding maize and wheat and in developing resistance against Cotton leaf curl virus in model plants [96], highlighting its role in promoting sustainable agriculture.…”