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Chinese team injects desert moss gene into Xinjiang cotton to beat fungus, boost output
🇨🇳 China /Health & Science

Chinese team injects desert moss gene into Xinjiang cotton to beat fungus, boost output

From South China Morning Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Chinese scientists have genetically modified cotton by inserting a desert moss gene to enhance resistance to a common fungal disease.
  • The resulting transgenic cotton showed a nearly 24% yield increase under pathogen infection compared to non-transgenic varieties.
  • This innovation aims to combat Verticillium wilt, a disease that affects cotton and other crops, and contributes to China's efforts to bolster its agricultural sector.

A team of Chinese scientists has developed genetically modified cotton by incorporating a gene from desert moss, aiming to significantly boost crop yields and combat a pervasive fungal disease.

The innovation involves inserting a stress-resistance gene from a steppe moss species, which thrives in arid desert conditions, into cotton plants. This modification has resulted in a genetically engineered plant exhibiting improved resistance to Verticillium wilt, a destructive fungal disease often referred to as "cotton cancer."

an approximate 23.8 per cent yield increase relative to non-transgenic counterparts under pathogen infection conditions

— ResearchersDescribing the yield increase observed in the transgenic cotton compared to conventional varieties when infected with the fungus.

According to the team's research, published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, the transgenic cotton demonstrated a notable yield increase of approximately 23.8% when compared to non-transgenic counterparts infected with the pathogen. This breakthrough offers a potential solution to mitigate the impact of the devastating fungal disease on cotton production.

The researchers suggest their method, which utilizes genes from species adapted to extreme environments, presents a promising strategy for enhancing other crops as well. Xinjiang, China's leading cotton-producing region, is actively transforming its desert areas for agriculture, integrating advanced technologies like AI and smart farming to ensure food security and strengthen the nation's agricultural sector.

promising strategy

— ResearchersReferring to their method of using genes from extreme-environment species for crop improvement.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by South China Morning Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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