GM Rice

The Plant Nematology Lab (http://www.biology.leeds.ac.uk/nem/home.htm) of the University of Leeds (UK) (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/) has been

Source: Plant Nematology Lab, University of Leeds

developing nematode-resistant rice based on an anti-feedant approach. They are enabling rice plants to specifically produce the natural proteinase inhibitor, cystatin in the roots or in cells attacked by nematodes. This innocuous plant-derived proteinase inhibitor prevents the nematode from feeding efficiently. They have incorporated root specific promoters to ensure that the gene product is expressed only in the roots and not in green tissues or seeds of rice. Cystatin is non-toxic, is not involved in mammalian digestion, and is naturally occurring such that it can be found in rice grains, and is commonly used by plants against other pests and insects.

They are also developing ways to target specifically the nematode’s specialized feeding cells from functioning efficiently when they feed on modified root cells of rice.

Related topics:

• Virus resistance
• Virus resistance technology
• Nematode resistance
• Nematode resistance technology
• Herbicide tolerance
• Herbicide tolerance technology
• Iron-rich
• Golden rice
  • The technology
  • The developers
  • Issues
  • Current status

Summary Report on the Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops - [View the 2004 report]

Transgenic Crops - [Click Here]

Extensive Study on Bt Cotton - [Click Here]

Download the complete copy of the ISAAA Briefs on Global Status/Review of GM Crops - [Click Here]

SciDev.Net's dossier on GM crops - [Click here]

Global Status of Approved Genetically Modified Plants -  [Click here]

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