Scientists have made a breakthrough that could eventually result in high-yielding, flood-tolerant crops and play an important role in improving global food security.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham and University of California, Riverside have identified the molecular mechanism plants use to sense low oxygen levels – in effect the switch that triggers changes to the plant’s metabolism to protect it from flooding.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and parts of the US have fallen victim to catastrophic flooding in recent years, and crop tolerance to partial and even complete submergence is seen as a key target for global food security.
Rothamsted Research scientist Freddie Theodoulou, was among those who made important contributions to the work.
The study describing the ‘oxygen-sensing protein turnover mechanism’ appears online in the journal Nature. Click here to read more.
Visit our food security channel here.
- Jeremy Chamberlayne - 03/11/2011
Could someone advise if this is likely to be applicable to crops in the Lower Severn flood-plain.