Pairwise partners with berry breeder Plant Sciences Inc. to develop new blackberries and raspberries

Pairwise/Seedless, thornless blackberry

Pairwise partnered with berry breeder Plant Sciences Inc. to gene-edit new black raspberry, red raspberry and blackberry varieties for the US market, targeting taste, convenience, shelf life and off-season supply. PSI would grow plantlets in its nurseries and license them to farmers; Pairwise said gene editing could cut development from decades to years.

• Partnership focuses on black raspberry, red raspberry and blackberry gene-editing.
• Black raspberries naturally contain five times more antioxidants than blueberries but have limited availability.
• PSI to use commercial nurseries for plantlet cultivation and farmer licensing; gene editing reduces development from decades to years.