Gene-Editing of a Single Gene Boosts Soybean Yields in High-Density Fields

A recent study by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has identified a promising genetic target for boosting soybean yield, particularly under high-density planting conditions. This discovery offers a new strategy for breeding high-yield soybean varieties to meet rising global demand.

The researchers identified GmCKX3, a gene that functions as a negative regulator of soybean productivity. Using CRISPR–Cas9–mediated gene editing to disrupt GmCKX3, they observed substantial increases in pod number and seed yield per plant. Notably, with increases exceeding 40%, while lodging resistance remained unaffected.

Importantly, the enhanced yield was not accompanied by a decline in seed quality. Seed oil content was unchanged, and protein content showed a modest increase—an outcome favorable for both food and industrial uses.

Improving soybean yield is challenging because it depends on a complex interplay of developmental and physiological traits. The identification of GmCKX3 provides new mechanistic insight into how cytokinin metabolism coordinates floral development and pod formation. Loss of GmCKX3 activity alters hormone homeostasis, redirecting resources toward reproductive growth and higher productivity.

The study further revealed that favorable natural alleles of GmCKX3 have already been unintentionally selected during soybean domestication and breeding, underscoring the gene’s agronomic relevance.

Together, these findings highlight the power of precise gene editing in tailoring crops for modern intensive agriculture and position GmCKX3 as a key target for developing next-generation high-yield soybean cultivars.

The work was published in Plant Communications (DOI:10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101678) and supported by national and institutional funding programs.

Contact:

Dr. LI Hongju

Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Email: hjli@genetics.ac.cn