Gene-edited wheat fights dreaded fungus without pesticides

fungusIt could mean that your wallet has taken a serious hit

The team said the approach may also work for other crops such as strawberries and cucumbers

"Advances like this are very much needed," added Peter Van Esser, a plant pathologist in the Sansbury lab, who was also not involved

Especially for farmers in developing environments, he said, reducing the use of chemical pesticides can be helpful

During expeditions to Ethiopia in the 1940s, scientists discovered local varieties of barley unaffected by the fungus

Unlike many disease resistances in plants, which pathogens eventually evolved ways to overcome these resistances, these varieties have been protected against powdery mildew for decades

in wheatMLOPlants resulting in stunted growth tended to yield 5% less grain than typical plants, an unacceptable disadvantage

useGene editing methods include CRISPR for modification

Often these changes can be accomplished through traditional breeding, but take years rather than months

"I was sure we found something amazing," recalls Gao

"I think it's plausible," said Ralph Panstruga, a plant molecular biologist at RWTH University in Aachen

thisImproved plants grow as tall as other wheatWhen the researchers counted the number of grains from about 30 plants on these plots, there was no statistically significant differencenature.

"A wheat grower would say, 'Fine, but now you have to show it on the plot

MLO Corporationgenes, but also a large chunk of DNA on a chromosome

Found in many other plants

Gao Xiaosong is optimistic: Ministry of RailwaysNew guidelines for approving gene-edited cropsThis provides "a clear path" to commercialisation, she said