Gene gives plant a moisture sensor
Duke University researchers have identified a gene that could help scientists engineer drought-resistant crops. The gene, called OSCA1, encodes a protein in the cell membrane of plants that senses changes in water availability and adjusts the plant’s water conservation machinery accordingly.
“It’s similar to a thermostat,” said Zhen-Ming Pei, an associate professor of biology at Duke.
The findings, which appear Aug. 28 in the journal Nature, could make it easier to feed the world’s growing population in the face of climate change.
Drought is the major cause of crop losses worldwide. A dry spell at a crucial stage of the growing season can cut some crop yields in half.
Water shortages are expected to become more frequent and severe if climate change makes rainfall patterns increasingly unreliable and farmland in some regions continues to dry up. Coupled with a world population that is expected to increase by two billion to three billion by 2050, researchers worldwide are looking for ways to produce more food with less water.
The Latest on: Drought-resistant crops
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The Latest on: Drought-resistant crops
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