Inserting Weed Genes To Protect Crops From Global Warming

Scientist look to pest plants to make food crops hardier in the face of increased atmospheric CO², temperature

By Stuart Fox Posted 06.16.2009 at 11:47 am 9 Comments

Corn crops courtesy of Earth Photos, via Flickr.com

Any gardener knows weeds are tough. You spray, them, you uproot them, but they keep coming back. Well, some scientists are looking to harness the resilience of weeds to fortify food crops against the causes and consequences of climate change.

Over the past few years, studies have shown that many weeds survive far better in the high-heat, high atmospheric carbon dioxide environment of the future than their regularly cultivated counterparts. Thus, as carbon dioxide levels rise, spurring on greater climate change, many crops such as rice and corn face the dual problem of increased competition from weeds and reduced yield from a harsher environment.

Now, scientists hope to either breed or genetically engineer the genes that make weeds to successful into the food crops. For instance, rice does not produce seeds when the temperature rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and cannot compete with a closely related weed plant called red rice in a high CO² environment. By breeding the red rice genes into the regular white rice strains, scientists can create hybrid rice that can both withstand the heat and out-compete the weeds.

Interestingly enough, since many different breeds of crops have the different features that resist the effects of global warming, the process of protecting the food supply from climate change may also diversify the crop population beyond the monoculture common today.

[via National Geographic]

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9 Comments

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kstauff

06/16/09 at 12:34 pm

Finally! Here's someone trying to embrace change! There's hope yet!

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rlenston

06/17/09 at 8:07 am

I wouldn't call it embracing change so much as ensuring survival.

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rashoodollison

07/07/09 at 7:02 am

In fact, I believe that global warming, if it continues, will be the best thing to happen to crop yields since the invention of the mechanical harvester, and will cause the amount of arable land to increase well over any level ever seen

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hedge

07/23/09 at 6:25 am

Hm ... very very interesting if we talk about the Global warming, Climate Change and its impact to the environment. Especially crops.

We really hope there is a balance between the earth and the human life. especially in terms of food.

Hopefully scientists can provide the best for us, thanks

Regards,
hedge, http://www.hedgefundimplosion.com

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halloween

08/10/09 at 3:33 pm

is very nice
http://halloweenideas2009.com

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Policy123

08/14/09 at 6:09 pm

Essentially, I would call this move one of necessity or adaptation. We would not want to do this had we not been faced with a problem. But I believe it's the right path to take given the circumstances.

http://promocodeinformer.blog.com

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bonunsa

08/26/09 at 9:07 am

Very nice. You people here are arguing whether global warming is a problem or not. The point is global warming or not, we are destroying our resources around us. Global warming or not, that will happen some day if we don't take care.. crapshoot1911 Grow up!.

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bopo

08/30/09 at 11:27 am

This looks very promising crop yields since the invention of the auto harvester, looking forward to updates on this, I just feel the action on global warming is taken too late, each day that passes by causes damage to our planet, and yet no one seems to think of it as an immediate problem.

Ash @ http://www.carautoportal.com

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4insure

09/18/09 at 11:24 am

How will this affect crop quality? It can't just be a miracle chemical that will save the crops from global warming, right? There has got to be a downside
- James @ http://www.4insure.net