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When going gets tough, crops that get growing
Researcher Michael Way of the Millennium Seed Bank Project collects seeds in Chile this year. By using molecular mapping to identify the “DNA fingerprint” of crop samples, scientists all over the world will breed high-yielding, tough varieties. Photo/FILE
Posted Monday, July 20 2009 at 00:00
The grants cover projects initiated by scientists in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Scientists in Portugal and Angola are jointly investigating the ability of 100 samples of native or “landrace” wheat varieties and 15 modern varieties to withstand high temperature and drought.
In India, scientists are exploring a collection of pearl millet.
And scientists based in the United States are analysing sorghum germ plasm maintained by the India-based International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics for resistance to multiple diseases.
The work is being carried out by researchers based in Texas, where sorghum production generates $1 billion annually.
The African Centre for Crop Improvement will build on previous advances on maize, by adding in drought tolerance.
In the Philippines, the Institute of Plant Breeding will widen the genetic base available for improving bananas.
It will search among wild relatives of the crop for ways to eliminate the effects of viruses.
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