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Image: Delays in delivery of salt-tolerant crops may be due to the need for resource development. This should include the domestication of wild salt-resistant species, such as Salicornia shown here growing in an extreme environment, that have the potential for new food and feed markets. Credit 2023 KAUST; Gabriele Fiene. 

Now is the time to deliver on salt-tolerant crops

By | Agriculture, KAUST, News

In a comprehensive review of breeding salinity tolerance in plants, researchers argue that the main reason research advances have not been translated into commercial salt-tolerant crop varieties for farmers is that this has not been a priority for plant breeders. However, with increasing impacts of climate change due to sea-level rise and storm surges forcing seawater further inland, the need to increase crop salinity tolerance is becoming more urgent, and so priorities will change.

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A guide through the genome of crops

By | Agriculture, CEPLAS, News

Plants show enormous variety in traits relevant to breeding, such as plant height, yield and resistance to pests. One of the greatest challenges in modern plant research is to identify the differences in genetic information that are responsible for this variation. A research team has now developed a method to identify precisely these special differences in genetic information. Using the example of maize, they demonstrate the great potential of their method and present regions in the maize genome that may help to increase yields and resistance to pests during breeding.

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New strategy identified to curb a fungal infection affecting more than 150 crops

By | Agriculture, Fruits and Vegetables, News, Plant Health

Tomatoes, bananas, cabbages, melons, pumpkins and cucumbers… are just some of the 150 crops of commercial interest that are victims of Fusarium oxysporum, one of the most important pathogens in the world due to the millions of dollars in losses it is responsible for and its ability to attack different types of plants. Although it can go unnoticed in the soil for more than 30 years, when it detects the roots of a host plant, it grows towards them, colonizing its vascular system and causing crops to wilt.

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alfalfa

Uncovering the Mysteries of Alfalfa Seed Dormancy Through Multispectral Imaging Analysis

By | Agriculture, News

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a legume grown in many parts of the world as a source of animal fodder. It is prized in the forage industry for its high protein content and biomass yield. Recently, alfalfa protein has found applications in aquaculture, pet food industry and human diet. Furthermore, it is seen as an environmentally beneficial crop, with positive impacts on biodiversity and soil nitrogen conservation.

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‘Devastating’ fungal infections wiping out crops and threatening global food security, experts warn

By | Agriculture, News, Plant Health

Scientists have warned of the ‘devastating’ impact that fungal disease in crops will have on global food supply unless agencies across the world come together to find new ways to combat infection. Worldwide, growers lose between 10 and 23 per cent of their crops to fungal infection each year, despite widespread use of antifungals. An additional 10-20 per cent is lost post harvest. Academics predict those figures will worsen as global warming means fungal infections are steadily moving polewards, meaning more countries are likely to see a higher prevalence of fungal infections damaging harvests.

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