Red moss capsules, a winter native of the Yorkshire Dales moorland Photo: Wikipedia

Efforts to produce genetically modified crops with drought tolerance were highlighted at BASF Plant Science’s Metanomics plant in Berlin this month.  

BASF has identified drought tolerance genes in moss, transfered them into thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) and is now in the process of developing the technology in crops. 

Particular emphasis was given to BASF’s $1,500 million collaboration with Monsanto, which will target traits such as drought tolerance in maize, soybeans, canola and cotton.  The two companies expect the first market-ready products to be available in the first half of the next decade.
By Simon Varcoe

> Not a subscriber? Subscribe

MORE NEWS ON BIOTECHNOLOGY

Cotton Breeding Australia joint venture - 05/10/07
High yielding and stress-tolerant rice developed - 05/10/07
Vitamin C necessary for plant growth - 05/10/07
D1 Oils/KeyGene in jatropha biofuel deal - 05/10/07
Monsanto research nitrogen use in crops - 28/09/07
DuPont launches high-yield soybean technology - 28/09/07