Dec. 11, 2008 -- Around the world, rice sustains billions of people with a cheap source of nutrition. There's only one problem: Rice generally requires lots of water, and many people who depend on the crop live in extremely dry places. When the rain stops, rice wilts. Hunger follows. Now, for the first time, scientists have identified a group of genes that consistently double the yield of rice in drought conditions. The discovery could help provide a reliable source of food for people in some of the poorest places. "This was far more than we ever would have expected," said Jerome Bernier, who recently completed his Ph.D. at the University of Alberta Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, and will begin working with Dow Agro-Sciences in Hawaii in January. If the crop proves its worth, he added, "The applications will be tremendous." In Myanmar, Bangladesh, and other Asian countries, rice provides up to 60 percent of people's calories. But growing conditions are not always ideal. Related Content: Project Earth New Solutions for the Reality of Drought How Stuff Works: Rice Scientists have been trying for a long time to breed rice that grows well in dry conditions -- with little success. In previous work, groups of researchers actually found regions of the rice genome that led to drought-resistance. But in every case, those genes only helped the rice grow in one place or in one year. In the search for something more reliable, Bernier and colleagues first created a new strain of rice by crossing two other strains: one that farmers grows in lush lowlands and one that's commonly used in upland areas, where soils tend to be drier and far less productive. Then, they attempted to grow about 400 of the resulting lines of rice in extremely dry conditions. Some of the new strain yielded 700 kilograms of rice per hectare -- more than double what any of the parent plants yielded in the same conditions, said Dean Spaner, a researcher at the University of Alberta, who was involved with the work. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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