Combining ability and heterosis under pest epidemics in a broad-based global wheat-breeding population

kavin submitted, created time 5 months 3 weeks (web.ebscohost.com)

This experiment was undertaken to assess the advantages of using diallel crosses to define combining ability and understand heterosis in a broad-based wheat-breeding population across different environments affected by yellow rust. This research shows the power of available quantitative breeding tools to help breeders choose parental sources in a population improvement programme.

2 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: crop plants food yellow rust crops wheat insects agriculture pests heterosis wheat-breeding pest epidemics

OsDREB1F gene increases salt, drought, and low temperature tolerance in both Arabidopsis and rice

kavin submitted, created time 6 months 2 weeks (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

In this study, a novel rice DREB transcription factor, OsDREB1F, was cloned and characterised via subtractive suppression hybridisation (SSH) from upland rice. The further characterisation of OsDREB1F-overexpressing Arabidopsis showed that, besides activating the expression of COR genes which contain DRE/CRT element in their upstream promoter regions, the expression of rd29B and RAB18 genes were also activated, suggested that OsDREB1F may also participate in ABA-dependent pathways.

7 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: ABA-dependent pathways crops rd29B botany agriculture crops drought OsDREB1f rice OsDREB1F gene

Transgenic crops can persist for ten years

Sue Wu submitted, created time 7 months 4 weeks (www.nature.com)

Transgenic oilseed rape can survive and produce plants as much as a decade after it was sown, according to a study done in Sweden.

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: GMOs agriculture crop plants genetically modified organisms transgenic crops crops oilseed rape transgenic model transgenic organisms

French uphold ban on genetically modified seed corn

Darkfrog submitted, created time 8 months 1 week (www.nytimes.com)

The top French court just upheld a ban on the use of genetically modified corn, a month after its inception. It had been challenged by farmers. This article does a good job of showing the clash between economic (and environmental) interests and organic and environmental interests. (Yes, I said "environmental" twice. One camp is pleased to use less pesticide and the other is worried about contamination.)

Genetically modified, or at least selectively bred, corn has been used in the U.S. for some time now

4 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: politics genetically modified organisms GMOs crops agriculture corn maize science and culture economics genetically modified crops genetically modified organisms MON810 genetically modified maize

Researchers Map Corn Plant's Genome

New Enzyme founded to provide transgenic resistance to FHB