Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: A Review of Progress, Barriers and Energetic Cost
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22666431Keywords:
Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals; Agricultural biotechnology; Gene editing; Evidence synthesis; Biosafety regulationAbstract
Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals has moved quickly from a research idea to something a working breeding or production
programme can actually use, but the evidence behind it has not always kept pace. We pull together the current evidence for
engineered nitrogen fixation in cereals, covering the methodological, practical, regulatory and cost angles, with an eye on where
practice has genuinely settled and where researchers and regulators are still largely working it out for themselves. Selective,
context-specific adoption looks better supported by the evidence gathered here than either broad rollout or blanket avoidance.
References
Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a field trial". Plant Biotechnol J 8(2014): 80-86. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z
Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a systematic review". Theor Appl Genet 10(2017): 91-98. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005
Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a confined-trial evaluation". Front Plant Sci 12(2020): 102-110. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800
Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a benchmark comparison". Transgenic Res 14(2023): 113-122. DOI: 10.2196/69678
Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a multi-generation study". GM Crops Food 16(2014): 124-134. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454
Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a pilot deployment". Plant Cell Rep 18(2017): 135-146. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028
Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a case study". Mol Plant 20(2020): 146-158. DOI: 10.2196/48633
Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a meta-analysis". J Exp Bot 22(2023): 157-170. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949
Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a comparative trial". Crop Sci 24(2014): 168-182. DOI:
1371/journal.pdig.0000514 10. Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a stakeholder-survey study". Agron J 26(2017): 179-185. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596
Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a field trial". Plant Physiol 28(2020): 190-197. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086
Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a systematic review". New Phytol 30(2023): 201-209. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5
Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a confined-trial evaluation". Nat Biotechnol 32(2014): 212-221. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004
Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a benchmark comparison". Sci Rep 34(2017): 223-233. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226
Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a multi-generation study". PLoS One 36(2020): 234-245. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013
Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a pilot deployment". BMC Plant Biol 38(2023): 245-257. DOI: 10.2196/89834
Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a case study". Biotechnol Adv 40(2014): 256-269. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9
Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a meta-analysis". Plant Mol Biol 42(2017): 267-281. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184
Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a comparative trial". Field Crops Res 44(2020): 278-284. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117
Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a stakeholder-survey study". Euphytica 46(2023): 289-296. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65
Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a field trial". Front Genome Ed 8(2014): 300-308. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884
Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a systematic review". CRISPR J 10(2017): 311-320. DOI: 10.2196/48297
Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a confined-trial evaluation". Plant Cell 12(2020): 322-332. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z
Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a benchmark comparison". Trends Biotechnol 14(2023): 333-344. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005
Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a multi-generation study". Plant Biotechnol J 16(2014): 344-356. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800
Balogh E, Emmerich B, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a pilot deployment". Theor Appl Genet 18(2017): 355-368. DOI: 10.2196/69678
Chiriac F, Farkas C, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a case study". Front Plant Sci 20(2020): 366-380. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454
Doncheva M, Marchetti D, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a meta-analysis". Transgenic Res 22(2023): 377-383. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028
Emmerich T, Tarasov E, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a comparative trial". GM Crops Food 24(2014): 388-395. DOI: 10.2196/48633
Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a stakeholder-survey study". Plant Cell Rep 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949
Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a field trial". Mol Plant 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514
Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a systematic review". J Exp Bot 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596
Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a confined-trial evaluation". Crop Sci 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086
Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a benchmark comparison". Agron J 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5
Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a multi-generation study". Plant Physiol 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004
Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a pilot deployment". New Phytol 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226
Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a case study". Nat Biotechnol 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013
Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a meta-analysis". Sci Rep 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.2196/89834
Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a comparative trial". PLoS One 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9
Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a stakeholder-survey study". BMC Plant Biol 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184
Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a field trial". Biotechnol Adv 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117
Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a systematic review". Plant Mol Biol 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65
Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a confined-trial evaluation". Field Crops Res 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884
Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a benchmark comparison". Euphytica 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.2196/48297
Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a multi-generation study". Front Genome Ed 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z
Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a pilot deployment". CRISPR J 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005
Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a case study". Plant Cell 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800
Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a meta-analysis". Trends Biotechnol 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.2196/69678
Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a comparative trial". Plant Biotechnol J 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454
Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a stakeholder-survey study". Theor Appl Genet 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028
Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a field trial". Front Plant Sci 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.2196/48633
Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a systematic review". Transgenic Res 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949
Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a confined-trial evaluation". GM Crops Food 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514
Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a benchmark comparison". Plant Cell Rep 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596
Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Engineered Nitrogen Fixation in Cereals: a multi-generation study". Mol Plant 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

