Could Gene Editing Be Key For Future?

Could gene editing be the key to improving crop yields without increasing water use?  For a globe that needs to feed over nine billion people in the next 20 years, and not to mention the dwindling land and water resources, the potential answer is "yes".

"We noticed one gene that codes for a protein that is universally present in plants, and by altering the expression of this gene, we could also alter the amount of water the plant used to take out, if you like, one gram of carbon."

University of Illinois Plant Biologist Steven Long said initial testing was done on tobacco due to the ease and expediency of genetic editing in that plant.  He adds though, the results could carry over to food crops, especially those that are prevalent in the water-starved regions of the developing world.

"We are now trying to do the same thing in soy beans, in cow pea, which is an important legume in Sub-Sahara Africa, we can almost do this in Sorghem or corn."

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