A warming planet is a severe threat to global food security. That's why a team of researchers in England is seeking a way to hasten plants' adaptation to changing conditions.

The University of Sheffield announced in late September that it is conducting research into natural genetic engineering. The primary emphasis of the study is on Lateral Gene Transfer, the process by which plants acquire helpful genetic traits from other species. This occurs naturally, but the adaptation is long and unpredictable — this new study seeks to accelerate the plant's evolution. 

As the university explained in its news release, LGT is a well-understood phenomenon in bacteria — it enables them to acquire resistance to antibiotics, for instance. But the process is poorly understood in plants to date. And the stakes could scarcely be higher. 

Harmful heat-trapping pollution generated by human activity is putting farms and agricultural producers under severe strain. Prolonged dry periods, floods, heat waves, and more are all becoming increasingly commonplace and destructive. 

From droughts in Syria to flooding in Pakistan, it's a familiar story worldwide: Extreme weather poses a serious threat to crop yields, to public health, and to local as well as global economies. Damaged harvests cause food prices to skyrocket and threaten the future of daily staples like bananas and coffee.

"If we can uncover how plants share and integrate genes, we can better understand how crops like wheat and maize adapt — knowledge that could ultimately help ensure stable food supplies in the face of climate change," Luke Dunning, of Sheffield's School of Biosciences, said in the release.

To better understand LGT, the researchers want to learn more about three key areas: how LGT occurs, how often it happens, and where those new beneficial genes actually go. Their results could help usher in a new age of climate-resilient crops and contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen global food systems.

A study from the Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability has looked to the past for answers about how plant DNA adapted to a changing climate thousands of years ago. Another has tried to unlock ways to grow crops out of season by tapping into the cold-weather resistance of other crops. Moss is also a promising lead for developing immunity in different plants to disease. 

As scientists grapple with fundamental questions over the future of the global food supply, there are ways to help reduce the pressure. One is by growing your own food — homegrown produce is cheaper, healthier, and often tastes better. Similarly, incorporating more plant-based options into your diet can ease the environmental impacts of factory farming.

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.