The team led by Profs Zhi Pin (Gordon) Xu and Neena Mitter, showed that this technology can effectively deliver RNA and DNA into the cells of a wide range of plants through their roots, leaves, pollen and cultured tissues. The breadth of plant species and tissues successfully targeted by the enhanced nanoparticles is something that has not been previously achieved with a single, easy-to-use technology. These coated nanoparticles provide a broadly applicable method with huge potential to rapidly modify the features of a wide range of crops.
In the face of a changing climate, now more than ever, we need methods to rapidly improve and adapt our key crops to changing conditions to ensure future food security. However, traditional plant breeding and genetic modification methods are time-consuming and expensive, and can take many generations to produce a new crop variety.
Prof. Carroll continued, “This is exciting because with further improvement, the technology could potentially be used in the future to produce new crop varieties more quickly. With further research we could target an issue with a crop such as flavour or quality and have a new variety without the need for a decade of cross breeding or genetic modification.”
The nanoparticles have been patented by UQ’s commercialisation company UniQuest, which is now seeking partners to further develop the technology.
This research was supported by Microscopy Australia and the Australian National Fabrication Facility, both enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). Access to Microscopy Australia’s UQ facility allowed the team to precisely monitor the size and shape of the nanoparticles. Microscopy Australia has also supports Prof. Neena Mitter and her team as they develop mRNA-based pesticides and anti-fungal treatments for plants, some of which also make use of clay delivery systems.
J. Yong et al., Nature Plants 2025
DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01882-x
March 24, 2025
