Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia have developed an analytic tool that could massively enhance farmers' ability to grow crops sustainably.
Their research was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal BMC Biology, in a study titled: "A high-performance computational workflow to accelerate GATK SNP detection across a 25-genome dataset." The study was summarized by Phys.org
The analytical tool the study described is an open-source platform that uses algorithms to detect small DNA differences — known as single nucleotide variants — across various strains of rice, maize, soybean, and sorghum.
The idea behind the tool is to accelerate the discoveries of genetic variations that could be used to grow crops with improved resilience, yield, and nutritional value.
"These hidden [single nucleotide variants] could now be utilized for breeding programs immediately and also to identify novel functional genes for agricultural traits," said plant geneticist and study co-author Yong Zhou.
Tools like this one are especially important now, as the overheating of our planet caused by dirty energy sources like gas and oil has led to harsher weather conditions that are making it more difficult for farmers to sustain many types of crops.
In addition to staple crops that so many people rely on, products like olive oil, coffee, and more may soon be harder to come by because of changing weather patterns.
As a result, scientists are turning toward gene editing to create crops that are heartier and more nutritious.
In many cases, scientists are discovering genes that already exist in some plants — such as an evolutionary coping mechanism that allows some plants to deal with harsh, cold temperatures — and looking into how those traits can be bred into other plants.
The tool developed by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology researchers could lead to the discovery of more traits like that one — allowing farmers to continue growing the crops that people rely on even as climates become less suitable.
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