Space Industry and Business News  
FARM NEWS
Plant gene discovery could help scientists develop heat-tolerant crops
by Brooks Hays
Washington DC (UPI) Apr 6, 2021

Model suggests crop yields will decline as the planet warms. Most crops don't tolerate extreme heat and prolonged droughts.

Recently, researchers discovered a gene that helps plants sense heat. Scientists hope their discovery -- detailed in a new paper, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications -- will enable the development of more heat-resistant crop varieties.

"We need plants that can endure warmer temperatures, have a longer time to flower and a longer growth period," co-author Meng Chen said in a news release.

"But, to be able to modify plants' temperature responses, you first have to understand how they work. So, that's why identifying this gene that enables heat response is so important," said Chen, a professor of botany and plant sciences at the University of California, Riverside.

The gene described in the new paper is the second heat-related plant gene discovered by Chen and her research partners. They named the first gene HEMERA.

Plants react quickly to changes in ambient temperature -- closing the pores in their leaves to avoid losing too much water, for example.

To find additional heat-related genes, researchers tweaked the genes of a rockcress plant, Arabidopsis, that was bred to be entirely insensitive to temperature.

Based on what scientists learned from finding the HEMERA gene, researchers altered the genome of the rockcress plant until it began reacting to temperature changes. The experiments revealed the new gene, named RCB.

In a followup experiment, scientists silenced HEMERA and RCB expressions and again found themselves with a plant entirely numb to ambient temperature.

"If you knock out either gene, your plant is no longer sensitive to temperature," Chen said.

Both HEMERA and RCB control the expression of an array of gene regulators, all of which are involved in the production and regulation of proteins involved in a plant's response to both temperature and light.

The proteins controlled by HEMERA and RCB are evenly distributed in two different cell components, the nucleus and organelles called chloroplasts.

In future studies, scientists said they plan to investigate the ways these two different parts of the cell coordinate their actions to trigger plant growth, greening and flowering.

The scientists surmise the communication and coordination between a plant cell's nucleus and chloroplasts is mediated by the expression of HEMERA and RCB.

"We were excited to find this second gene," Chen said. "It's a new piece of the puzzle. Once we understand how it all works, we can modify it, and help crops cope better with climate change."


Related Links
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


FARM NEWS
Ixorigue: the solution for livestock management integrating Galileo and Copernicus
Brussels, Belgium (SPX) Mar 30, 2021
The processing of the Galileo signal in a multi-constellation environment is providing important benefits and opportunities for precision farming, enhancing the performance of livestock and increasing the achieved accuracy in difficult mountain environments. A Spanish company, Ixorigue, has integrated Galileo in its positioning solution as part of a combined product for livestock management. b>A solution for extensive livestock in high mountains br> br> /b> Ixorigue is the result of an innovativ ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

FARM NEWS
Decades of radiation-based scientific theory challenged

A new technique to synthesize superconducting materials

Hitachi buys US software firm GlobalLogic for $9.6 bn

NASA tests mixed reality for mission operations for exploration

FARM NEWS
Japan-Germany international joint experiment on space optical communication

Parsons awarded $250M Seabed-to-Space ISR contract

Air Force exercises push data integration from across military domains

Airbus, Fujitsu and Thales in team up for UK army future tactical communication program

FARM NEWS
FARM NEWS
MyGalileoSolution and MyGalileoDrone: A word from the winners

Google Maps to show more eco-friendly routes

Soyuz launch campaign for 2 Galileo satellites postponed Until November

Ten years of safer skies with Europe's other satnav system

FARM NEWS
Airbus to boost "cold" technology testing as part of its decarbonisation roadmap

China's top three airlines lose billions to pandemic

Astral Knight 2021 to take place at Aviano Air Base in Italy

Tyndall Air Force Base chosen for three new F-35 squadrons

FARM NEWS
Taiwan's TSMC plans $100 billion investment to meet demand

Study shows promise of quantum computing using factory-made silicon chips

Quantifying utility of quantum computers

Fire-hit chipmaker Renesas says recovery could take four months

FARM NEWS
China launches new Earth observation satellite

SOFIA offers new way to study Earth's atmosphere

Utilis secures $6m from Beringea to harness satellites to protect critical infrastructure and global water supplies

Second Scout gets the go-ahead

FARM NEWS
'Dirty and ugly' city? Paris slams viral campaign

Operation Cleanup on plastic-polluted Lagos beach

Ghana investigates after dead fish, dolphins wash up on shore

Sunscreen is a threat to coral reef health, but size of threat unknown









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.