Genetic manipulations such as RNAi silencing and CRISPR are helping researchers and plant breeders enhance traits and characteristics. The genomic mapping of corn, soybean, wheat and oat creates more opportunities to improve plant growth and desired properties in those crops. Why it matters: Epigenetics could give plant breeders the ability to make crops more resilient […] Read more
Tag Archives plant breeding
Breeding for plant plasticity
Epigenetics has immense potential for helping crops mitigate the effects of climate change
Where has all the seed money gone?
Funding for new varieties has slowed to a trickle in Canada, particularly for cereal crops
Glacier FarmMedia – In 2017, people in Canada’s seed industry felt hopeful. Private money was flowing into wheat and pulse crops and investment in variety development was expected to increase in future years. But that projected investment didn’t pan out, particularly for wheat and other cereal crops. Private firms backed away from cereal crop innovation, […] Read more
Roots are capable of measuring heat on their own: study
Science Notes: New insights could further plant breeding
Plant roots have their own thermometer to measure the temperature of the soil around them and they adjust their growth accordingly. Through extensive experiments, a team led by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), was able to demonstrate that roots have their own temperature sensing and response system. In a new study in The EMBO Journal, scientists […] Read more
Plant breeder focuses on nutritional value
Researcher wins grant to study improving nutritional quality of barley, wheat, peas, lentils, quinoa and buckwheat
Glacier FarmMedia – When plant breeders develop a new variety, the goal is a crop that is “the total package.” They want a high-yielding crop with superior disease resistance, tolerant of drought, with excellent end-use qualities and a long list of other traits. Kevin Murphy, a plant breeder at Washington State University, said breeders sometimes […] Read more
Ontario company finds place in Ukraine
Independent seed company develops market to supply corn seed
Glacier FarmMedia – Ukraine, a country known for wheat and sunflowers, grows a surprising amount of corn. United States Department of Agriculture data shows Ukraine planted 13 million acres of corn in 2020. Canada had 4.5 million acres of corn in 2020, if silage corn is included. For the seed industry, 13 million acres is […] Read more
Bibeau says government committed to federal plant breeding
Seed royalty consultations stalled
The Canadian government is committed to plant breeding, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told members of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation on Tuesday. Some farmers and seed industry officials suspect Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) variety development work, along with many other programs, will be on the chopping block post-COVID-19 as the government tackles its […] Read more
Crop breeding enhanced through machine learning
Science Notes: Artificial intelligence analyzes large numbers of seeds from a single image
The establishment of a method to rapidly create elite crop varieties via selective breeding is a matter of urgency to maintain the food supply. In order to select such cultivars, it is necessary to define and evaluate how to identify superior varieties. The shape of seeds is a trait closely linked to the quality and […] Read more
USDA limits review requirements of some biotech farm products
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday a rule that will simplify or waive agency reviews of certain biotech farm products, including plants and seeds that have been genetically modified or engineered. As a result, some products could be sold to farmers without a USDA review — a move that […] Read more
Wheat evolution mapped
Wheat gene pools changed in part due to socio-economic factors
As the world population grows and climate change progresses, food resources could become scarce in the future. That has ramped up the pressure on plant breeders to improve the yield of our staple plants, giving rise to a key question: Can existing varieties be optimized through breeding? To help boost the yield of today’s sorts, […] Read more
Pollen genes mutate naturally in only some strains of corn
Science notes: Breeders have reported some lines are more genetically stable than others
Pollen genes mutate naturally in only some strains of corn, according to Rutgers-led research that may lead to better breeding of corn and other crops. Scientists at Rutgers University–New Brunswick and Montclair State University looked at gene mutations that arise spontaneously in corn plant pollen. Pollen grains are the male gametes, or reproductive cells, in […] Read more
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