How Stresseing Beans Now Could Improve Yields LaterNovember 20, 2018
A recent article on the Penn State News website highlights a genetic soybean discovery that may alter breeding practices. By turning off the expression of the gene MSH1, a soybean plant will be ‘tricked’ into experiencing stressors like extreme temperature or moisture conditions despite real conditions to the contrary. The plant responds by over-expressing defensive genes that can be seen in subsequent generations of the variety. The discovery means soybean breeders could improve the yields of existing varieties (13-14% increases were observed in trials) by changing gene expression instead of more complicated (and controversial) genetic engineering techniques that add genes.
Read more at the link above, or see the full-text published in Plant Biotechnology Journal‘s November 2018 issue.