Madeinplant coordinates UVANOVA – Improvement of Vinalopó Table Grapes through Genome Editing, a project developed together with ValGenetics and the Institute for Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP-CSIC) within the framework of the 2026 STEP Strategic Cooperation Projects Programme of IVACE+i Innovation, co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme for the Valencian Community 2021–2027.
The aim of the project is to develop, through CRISPR-Cas genome editing technologies, a seedless line of the Aledo variety, one of the most representative varieties protected under the Vinalopó Bagged Table Grape Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
The strategy seeks to precisely modify genetic determinants involved in seed development while preserving the agronomic, organoleptic and commercial characteristics that define the Aledo variety. In this way, biotechnology innovation is applied directly to a traditional variety, preserving its identity while adapting it to new market demands.
The project will also contribute to advances in DNA-free genome editing technologies, grapevine-specific regeneration protocols and new CRISPR-Cas tools with potential applications in other Mediterranean crops.
Through UVANOVA, Madeinplant, ValGenetics and IBMCP-CSIC combine industrial and scientific expertise to move genome editing from the laboratory towards a concrete, high-impact application for the Valencian agri-food sector.
