Scientists Work on Resistance of Corn to Leaf Blight
February 4, 2011| |
Since the genome of corn has been sequenced in 2009, scientists have been finding ways to improve the crop, especially its resistance to disease. USDA scientists Jim Holland and Peter Balint-Kurti are currently looking for genes linked to blight resistance such as for Southern leaf blight which is the culprit of the 1972 epidemic that brought about a loss of 710 million bushels. Balint-Kurti found 50 different parts of the corn's genetic sequence that are involved in the resistance to Southern leaf blight.
"I work on corn because the USDA recognized that it's the most important crop in this country," Holland said. "From a federal perspective, we need to be working on things of economic importance."
"It appears that a bunch of genes are involved in disease resistance, and now we need to understand better how these genes work to increase resistance," Balint-Kurti said.
Once their research becomes successful, the findings will be transformed into benefits for farmers and consumers.
Read the original article at http://www.einnews.com/news.php?wid=338497687.
| |
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- UN Launches Year-Long Celebration of Vital Role of World's Forests
- Monitoring Global Commodity Prices
- COMESA Biosafety Policies and Guidelines are Relevant to Swaziland
- Call for GM Corn of the Mexican Agricultural Associations
- Bt Technology Protects Cotton from Caterpillars
- Promising Results for Breeding Drought-Resistant Cowpea
- Plants Can Adapt Genetically to Survive Harsh Environments
- Climate Change Could Change Rates of Evolution
- Scientists Work on Resistance of Corn to Leaf Blight
- Bolivia Association Asks for GM to Address Rising Fuel Prices
- Philippines' State University to Move Ahead with Bt Eggplant Field Trial
- ICAR-NCAP Estimates US$ Half a Billion Economic Gains of Bt Brinjal
- China Increases Funds to Inform the Public About GM crops
- Pakistan President Urged for Gene Revolution In Major Agri Crops
- Indonesia Seek Comments on Environmental Safety Assessment of GM Sugarcane
- Indonesia Seeks Comment on Food Safety Assessment of GM Maize
- Syngenta Puts up $8M Seed Plant to Boost Philippine's Corn Sufficiency
- BASF Plant Science to Cultivate Amflora Potatoes in Germany and Sweden
- EC-JRC Publishes Summary Notification for the Field Trial of GM Sugarbeet in Germany
- Cotton Futures in Uzbekistan
- Two Genes Better than One for Important Plant Pest
-
Research Highlights
- Overexpression of a Gene from Pepper Affects Xanthophyll Production in GE Tomato
- Arabidopsis Anticipates Mildew Attack in the Morning
- Mapping of a Gene Conferring Orange Color on the Inner Leaf of the Chinese Cabbage
-
Announcements
- Biotechnology Havana 2011
- International Training and Capacity Building Programs for 2011 at Michigan State University
- International Conference and Exhibition on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa
-
Resources
- 18th Triennial Conference of the European Association for Potato in Finland
- Health Biotechnology Innovation on a Global Stage
- ICAR's Vision 2030
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (April 24, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (April 24, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet