If there’s one thing potato plants don’t like, it’s heat. If the temperature is too high, potato plants form significantly lower numbers of tubers, or sometimes none at all. Biochemists at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have now discovered the reason why. If the temperature rises, a so-called “small RNA” blocks the …
The John Innes Centre got the green light from the UK government to perform field trials of genetically modified (GM) wheat biofortified to produce high-iron white flour. The three-year field trial (from 2019 to 2022) will be carried out under confined conditions at the Centre between April and September each …
Healthful oils derived from plants are processed by the human body in exactly the same manner as when fish oils are eaten, according to a research led by the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Medicine. Omega-3 fats are mainly present in fish oil and are vital for health and development. …
Scientists from India developed a salt tolerant transgenic rice variety which, under greenhouse conditions, showed normal growth and grain yield. The scientists used genes from the wild rice species Porteresia coarctata. This species, native to some parts of South Asia, is known to be a halophyte, thus a rich source …
Wheat is one of the most economically-important crops grown in wide areas globally. This crop faces drought in many areas, affecting its production. Thus, a drought tolerant wheat would be a desirable alternative for growers to combat water deficit conditions. A gene (Helianthus annuus homeobox 4 or HaHB4) from sunflower …
Researchers from the Salk Institute for biological studies, USA used the latest DNA sequencing technologies to study exactly what happens at a molecular level when new genes are inserted into plants. Scientists usually rely on Agrobacterium tumefaciens when they want to put a new gene into a plant. Decades ago, …
A new, unprecedented study conducted by a large research consortium led by INRA reports that a diet based on MON 810 or NK603 transgenic maize does not affect the health or metabolism of rats. Under the conditions of GMO 90+1 project, the researchers did not detect any harmful effects of …
Researchers at the University of Washington have genetically modified pothos ivy — a common houseplant — to help clean the air inside homes. Hazardous compounds such as chloroform and benzene build up in homes, and exposure to both compounds have been linked to cancer. The modified photos ivy removes chloroform …
Researchers report that they can efficiently produce antifungal proteins in plants based on a modified tobacco mosaic virus. The results of this research, which could have a major impact in the agri-food industry, have been published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal. The fungi that cause diseases in plants, animals and …
A database that features the vast amount of research and development on biotech crops being conducted by public sector institutions and research centers around the world is now available. The database produced by CropLife International features the crops being developed in different countries, including the traits for each crop. The …
