Rising global temperatures around the world continue to wreak havoc on many different aspects of our lives. In fact, a study from NASA details how the increasing temperatures are leading to more fatalities from heat stress.
But it's not just humans who are in danger from this extreme heat. All living things are under threat, including our food sources. But a team of researchers from the University of Arkansas is fighting back. It just announced a promising breakthrough in the genetics of rice that could protect it from the increasing temperatures.
A slight increase in nighttime temperatures for consecutive nights can affect the grain quality of rice, which can lead to a decline in taste and milling efficiency. In essence, the rice can become chalky.
But the researchers have discovered a gene regulator in rice that they call "HYR" for Higher Rice Yield. It helps regulate the crop's response by switching on other genes that maintain photosynthesis, energy production, and proper grain filling. When the HYR is switched "on," it can yield incredible crops even in drought conditions.
As the USDA reports, rice is a primary food staple for more than half the world's population. So any breakthrough that protects it from our rapidly changing climate is welcome. And incredibly, the innovations from the University of Arkansas are only one of many discoveries involving the grain.
For example, researchers in China have discovered a gene that allows for the mechanized separation of hybrid rice seeds, which is normally an expensive, labor-intensive process. Another team of scientists in China developed rice that was resistant to rice blast disease, an illness that can devastate crop yields.
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The researchers behind the HYR breakthrough were excited about its possibilities.
"[HYR] serves as a promising target for breeders to improve rice grain quality, yield stability and stress resilience," explained professor Andy Pereira of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. "Understanding this gene gives us a powerful tool for developing climate-resilient rice varieties."
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