What To Know About the World's First Seedless Blackberry

Posted by Growing Produce Staff|August 3, 2024

Don’t like blackberries because of seeds? Those days might be over. Biotech company Pairwise has announced development of the world’s first seedless blackberry. According to the company, it was created using its proprietary Fulcrum Platform, a suite of unique tools for CRISPR application in food and agriculture. This is the first time seedlessness has been achieved in any caneberry.

In addition to creating the first seedless blackberry, Pairwise has successfully edited the same variety to eliminate thorns and create a more compact plant. The thornless and compact traits enable more efficient fruit harvesting and improved productivity and profitability for growers. A compact trait means crops can be planted at a higher density per acre.

Early data from Pairwise-led trials indicate the potential to greatly increase yield per acre while necessitating only a minimal increase in inputs.

“Our high-density compact and thornless traits contribute to a more sustainable food system,” says Haven Baker, Pairwise Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer. “The absence of thorns and reduced height of the compact plants allow berry harvesters to better access the fruit and leave less on the plant, reducing food waste and further improving the growers’ economics. With the precision of CRISPR, we’re able to develop these thornless and compact traits without sacrificing consistency in flavor and quality for consumers.”