IAEA and FAO send seeds to Space

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched seeds into space as part of their initiative to develop crops that can withstand the impacts of climate change. The Arabidopsis and sorghum seeds are traveling to the International Space Station staring …

CRISPR-Combo edits and regulates genes at the same time

University of Maryland scientists have developed CRISPR-Combo, a new tool for editing several genes in plants while simultaneously modifying the expression of other genes. This breakthrough, published in Nature Plants, allows genetic engineering combinations that work together to enhance the functionality and breeding of new crops. “As a proof of …

Breakthrough to help coconut propagation and conservation

Scientists at KU Leuven and the Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have developed a method to multiply coconut trees faster and conserve coconut genetic resources more efficiently in gene banks. Drawing inspiration from banana research, Bart Panis (KU Leuven Laboratory for Tropical Crop Improvement/the …

Researchers use CRISPR to prevent eucalyptus trees from being invasive

An international research team led by Oregon State University reported that Eucalyptus, a pest-resistant evergreen valued for its hardy lumber and wellness-promoting oil, can be genetically modified not to reproduce sexually, a key step toward preventing the tree from invading native ecosystems. The team used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique to …

Cyanobacteria could revolutionize the plastic industry

Cyanobacteria produce plastic naturally as a by-product of photosynthesis—and they do it in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Researchers at the University of Tübingen have succeeded for the first time in modifying the bacteria’s metabolism to produce this plastic in quantities to be used industrially. Around 370 million tons …

Researchers develop pale purplish-pink petunia via CRISPR-Cas9

Hanyang University scientists developed a pale purplish-pink Petunia using CRISPR-Cas9. Their findings are published in Plant Cell Reports. The research team performed site-specific mutagenesis in Petunia to change the flower color. The commercial Petunia cultivar ‘Madness Midnight’ has been known to have two F3H coding genes and thus they designed …

Bumblebees Poke Leaves to Help Flowers Bloom Faster

Scientists from Switzerland’s Department of Environmental Systems Sciences found bumblebee’s secret to accelerating flower production when there is pollen shortage: bite the plant’s leaves. According to their research article in Science, three species of bumblebees use their mouthparts in a characteristic way to damage mustard and tomato leaves leading to …