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Rice plants that reproduce as clones from seed

Postdoc Imtiyaz Khanday and Professor Venkatesan Sundaresan with cloned rice plants in a UC Davis greenhouse, December 2018. Khanday, Sundaresan and colleagues have solved the problem of propagating cloned, hybrid plants from seed — a long-sought discovery with big implications for global agriculture. It could make it easier for the world’s poorest farmers to grow… Continue reading Rice plants that reproduce as clones from seed

China renews its purchases of US soybeans

China on Wednesday made its first major purchases of U.S. soybeans since President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping struck a trade war truce earlier this month, providing some relief to U.S. farmers who have struggled to find buyers for their record-large harvest. Trump told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday the Chinese… Continue reading China renews its purchases of US soybeans

Newton Prize award for biotech drought-tolerant beans

Crop biotechnology – the development of new plant products for food, fodder, and energy – exploits molecular genetic techniques to develop modern varieties to meet growing agricultural challenges. We hear from Dr Caspar Chater, who, together with Prof. Alejandra Covarrubias, was awarded the £200,000 Newton Prize Mexico for their work improving bean drought tolerance in… Continue reading Newton Prize award for biotech drought-tolerant beans

With reasonable regulation, we can turn wild plants into food with gene editing

The crops we rely on today have been bred over thousands of years to enhance certain characteristics. For example, sweetcorn started life as a wild grass called teosinte. But every time we select for a trait through breeding – such as repeatedly crossing selected plants to produce bigger fruits – we lose genetic diversity which… Continue reading With reasonable regulation, we can turn wild plants into food with gene editing

US farmers plan to grow fewer soybeans in 2019

When President Donald Trump was having the highly-anticipated dinner with China’s President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit, farmers in the Midwest had just finished harvesting their crops and were busy placing seed orders for next year. Like many investors, they were closely watching the meeting, and as expected agricultural products came up in the… Continue reading US farmers plan to grow fewer soybeans in 2019

Sustainable hybrid seed sector key to Africa’s Green Revolution

Africa’s demand for food will more than double by 2050, driven by population growth and rapid urbanisation. A growing population is not the only challenge. Africa has to contend with new enemies such as climate change and the traditional ones such as pests, poor infrastructure and post-harvest losses. Some years back, increased agricultural productivity in… Continue reading Sustainable hybrid seed sector key to Africa’s Green Revolution

British farmers ‘could lead the way’ on gene editing after Brexit

Michael Gove has said that British scientists and farmers could “lead the way” on gene editing after the UK leaves the EU. The Defra Secretary said that outside the EU, the UK could use gene editing technology to produce higher-yield crops that are resistant to diseases and resilient to climate change. Mr Gove reportedly told… Continue reading British farmers ‘could lead the way’ on gene editing after Brexit

With a temperature sensor in hand, UC Riverside researchers can engineer crops that produce yields in warmer climates

When it gets hot outside, humans and animals have the luxury of seeking shelter in the shade or cool, air-conditioned buildings. But plants are stuck. While not immune to changing climate, plants respond to the rising mercury in different ways. Temperature affects the distribution of plants around the planet. It also affects the flowering time,… Continue reading With a temperature sensor in hand, UC Riverside researchers can engineer crops that produce yields in warmer climates

Brazilian farmers concerned about early confirmation of soy rust

The weather thus far this growing season in Brazil has been very good for soybeans and also for soybean rust development. Embrapa reported that there have been 55 confirmed cases of soybean rust in commercial soybeans fields in Brazil with 29 reported in Parana, 11 in Rio Grande do Sul, 6 in Santa Catarina, 5… Continue reading Brazilian farmers concerned about early confirmation of soy rust

Scientists develop new ‘climate proof’ crops with help of nuclear technology

New rice and green bean plants are now being rolled out to help farmers grow more of these staple foods despite higher temperatures caused by climate change. These new ‘climate proof’ crop varieties were developed as part of a five-year project aimed at helping countries to improve food security and adapt to changing climate conditions.… Continue reading Scientists develop new ‘climate proof’ crops with help of nuclear technology