Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: How Many Loci Before Fitness Costs Appear

Authors

  • Alfredo Jaccarini Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Zebbug Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Zebbug, Malta Author
  • Hordur Finnbogason Department of Quantitative Genetics, Rangarvellir Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Hella, Iceland Author
  • Fergus Edgcumbe Department of Plant Physiology, Breckland Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Thetford, United Kingdom Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22666760

Keywords:

Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification; Agricultural biotechnology; Gene editing; Evidence synthesis; Biosafety regulation

Abstract

Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification 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 multiplex editing for quantitative trait modification, 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. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a field trial". Plant Biotechnol J 8(2014): 80-86. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a systematic review". Theor Appl Genet 10(2017): 91-98. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a confined-trial evaluation". Front Plant Sci 12(2020): 102-110. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a benchmark comparison". Transgenic Res 14(2023): 113-122. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a multi-generation study". GM Crops Food 16(2014): 124-134. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a pilot deployment". Plant Cell Rep 18(2017): 135-146. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a case study". Mol Plant 20(2020): 146-158. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a meta-analysis". J Exp Bot 22(2023): 157-170. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a comparative trial". Crop Sci 24(2014): 168-182. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a stakeholder-survey study". Agron J 26(2017): 179-185. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a field trial". Plant Physiol 28(2020): 190-197. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a systematic review". New Phytol 30(2023): 201-209. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a confined-trial evaluation". Nat Biotechnol 32(2014): 212-221. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a benchmark comparison". Sci Rep 34(2017): 223-233. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a multi-generation study". PLoS One 36(2020): 234-245. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a pilot deployment". BMC Plant Biol 38(2023): 245-257. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a case study". Biotechnol Adv 40(2014): 256-269. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a meta-analysis". Plant Mol Biol 42(2017): 267-281. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a comparative trial". Field Crops Res 44(2020): 278-284. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a stakeholder-survey study". Euphytica 46(2023): 289-296. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a field trial". Front Genome Ed 8(2014): 300-308. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a systematic review". CRISPR J 10(2017): 311-320. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a confined-trial evaluation". Plant Cell 12(2020): 322-332. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a benchmark comparison". Trends Biotechnol 14(2023): 333-344. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a multi-generation study". Plant Biotechnol J 16(2014): 344-356. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Balogh E, Emmerich B, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a pilot deployment". Theor Appl Genet 18(2017): 355-368. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Chiriac F, Farkas C, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a case study". Front Plant Sci 20(2020): 366-380. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Doncheva M, Marchetti D, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a meta-analysis". Transgenic Res 22(2023): 377-383. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Emmerich T, Tarasov E, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a comparative trial". GM Crops Food 24(2014): 388-395. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a stakeholder-survey study". Plant Cell Rep 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a field trial". Mol Plant 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a systematic review". J Exp Bot 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a confined-trial evaluation". Crop Sci 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a benchmark comparison". Agron J 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a multi-generation study". Plant Physiol 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a pilot deployment". New Phytol 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a case study". Nat Biotechnol 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a meta-analysis". Sci Rep 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a comparative trial". PLoS One 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a stakeholder-survey study". BMC Plant Biol 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a field trial". Biotechnol Adv 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a systematic review". Plant Mol Biol 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a confined-trial evaluation". Field Crops Res 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a benchmark comparison". Euphytica 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a multi-generation study". Front Genome Ed 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a pilot deployment". CRISPR J 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a case study". Plant Cell 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a meta-analysis". Trends Biotechnol 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a comparative trial". Plant Biotechnol J 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a stakeholder-survey study". Theor Appl Genet 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a field trial". Front Plant Sci 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a systematic review". Transgenic Res 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a confined-trial evaluation". GM Crops Food 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a benchmark comparison". Plant Cell Rep 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Multiplex Editing for Quantitative Trait Modification: a multi-generation study". Mol Plant 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Downloads

Published

2026-01-23