Biotech Updates

Biotech Helps Fight Climate Change

December 19, 2008

Biotechnology can help Australian farmers to remain viable despite the effects of a changing climate. Australia’s Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) makes this conclusion in a report on “Australia’s crops and pastures in a changing climate: can biotechnology help?”

“There are a number of plant traits likely to be important for adapting to climate change, including heat tolerance, water and nitrogen use efficiency, and pest and disease resistance,” says Karen Schneider, BRS Executive Director. “Techniques, such as genetic modification (GM), are increasingly playing an important role in the development of new crop and pasture varieties with these traits.”

To download a copy of the report visit http://www.brs.gov.au. A media release is available at http://www.daff.gov.au/about/media-centre/brs-releases/2008/biotechnology_is_helping_the_fight_against_climate_change