The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is deregulating an African marigold variety in response to a petition from Ball Horticultural Company (Ball). The variety was developed using genetic engineering to produce red flower petals. After a thorough review, APHIS determined that the modified African marigold is unlikely to pose a greater plant pest risk than the unmodified comparator. As a result, the variety is no longer subject to the agency's regulation governing the introduction of certain organisms developed using genetic engineering.

APHIS based its determination on its evaluation of three sources of information: the information and data Ball submitted in its petition for deregulation, available scientific data, and public comments received in response to the February 11, 2026, Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the petition and the draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA).

APHIS is publishing the Determination of Nonregulated Status, the PPRA, and its response to public comments on the petition and the PPRA. These documents support the agency's review and analysis of any potential plant pest impacts associated with deregulating Ball's African marigold variety modified to produce red flower petals.

Source: United States Department of Agriculture