Crops with improved yields could more easily become a reality, thanks to a development by scientists.
Researchers studying a biological process that enables tiny green algae to grow efficiently have taken the first steps to recreating the mechanism in a more complex plant.
Their findings could lead to the breeding of high yield varieties of common crops such as wheat, rice and barley.
Concentrating carbon
Algae cells are known to have a specialised mechanism that boosts their internal concentration of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
This process supports other mechanisms that convert this store of carbon into the sugars the cells need to grow.
Many staple crops, and nearly all vegetables, have a less efficient method of photosynthesis. They cannot actively raise their internal concentrations of CO2 in the same way as algae.
If crops could be developed using the concentrating mechanism found in algae, they could have a much higher yield than existing varieties.
Component transplant
Plant experts at the University of Edinburgh studied components in algae that play a role in photosynthesis and found that they could function normally in other types of cells.
They then transferred the components to tobacco and cress plants, and found that the parts were able to locate at the correct places in the new cells.
Scientists were able to pinpoint the most critical components involved in efficient plant growth, and to gauge what further research might be needed for improved crops.
Read more: High yield crops a step closer
The Latest on: High yield crops
[google_news title=”” keyword=”High yield crops” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: High yield crops
- China strikes oil with new high-yield rapeseed, making strides in food securityon April 26, 2024 at 1:01 am
A new type of rapeseed engineered in China can improve upon yields by 50 per cent, increasing the domestic harvest of edible oil and lessening the country’s reliance on imports.
- New crop of Soy Envoys in IL fieldson April 23, 2024 at 1:41 pm
The Illinois Soybean Association’s (ISA) new crop of Soy Envoys are bringing farmers valuable information in a new era of soybean management. Outreach agronomist Stephanie Porter tells Brownfield ...
- Many large row crop farmers purchase insurance to prep for loss. Few specialty producers do the sameon April 22, 2024 at 12:30 pm
The USDA Risk Management Agency has been taking incremental steps to adapt the insurance design to account for climate change. For example, in 2017, it began providing up to a $5-per-acre premium ...
- Golden-Hour Water Use Efficiency: Pioneering Crop Productivity and Sustainability in the Face of Water Scarcityon April 17, 2024 at 9:04 am
A research team has shed light on the early morning 'golden hours' as a pivotal time for achieving optimal water use efficiency (WUE) in crops, ...
- CM Murad wants low delta high yield crops for Sindhon April 17, 2024 at 3:10 am
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressing concern over the impact of climate change on water scarcity said that this could be addressed by introducing a new cropping pattern that includes ...
- Pioneering crop productivity and sustainability in the face of water scarcityon April 16, 2024 at 11:25 am
A research team has shed light on the early morning "golden hours" as a pivotal time for achieving optimal water use efficiency (WUE) in crops, revealing that plants can maintain lower transpiration ...
- Golden-hour water use efficiency: Pioneering crop productivity and sustainability in the face of water scarcityon April 16, 2024 at 9:19 am
This innovative and technologically advanced approach has the potential to reconcile the trade-off between water-saving and high-yield in crop production, facilitating yield increase under ...
- Specialty Fertilizers Drive Urea Formaldehyde Demand: Ensuring High Crop Yield in a Growing Agriculture Marketon April 16, 2024 at 2:05 am
The urea formaldehyde market value is expected to rise from US$ 33,116.80 million in 2024 to US$ 41,572.36 million by 2034. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 1.80% over the next decade.
- Maintaining alfalfa: The 'Queen of Forages is a bit high maintenanceon April 15, 2024 at 5:23 am
Alfalfa seed isn’t cheap, and a lot of preparation and prior planning go into establishing this valuable crop.
via Bing News