New Breeding Techniques for Multipurpose Tobacco Crops in Newcotiana Project

NBTs enable rapid development of transgene-free Nicotiana tabacum varieties for molecular farming. This report evaluates gene-edited and intragenic tobacco lines with enhanced agronomic performance and high-value traits—low nicotine, high anatabine (anti-inflammatory drug candidate), and high squalene (vaccine adjuvant)—through three consecutive open-field trials in 2022. Biosafety features, including flowerless varieties for genetic containment, were successfully integrated. The Newcotiana project demonstrates that NBTs offer a sustainable solution to declining tobacco cultivation, supporting rural economies and enabling efficient, precise breeding for industrial biorefining.