🧬 CRISPR adapts crops and livestock to withstand warmer climate

🧬 CRISPR adapts crops and livestock to withstand warmer climate

Scientists have already created cattle with shorter coats for warmer climates and rice that can handle drier conditions. Several companies are now working to develop corn with shorter and stronger stalks that reduce the risk of damage during severe storms.

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  • CRISPR technology is now developing crops and livestock that can handle higher temperatures, drier climates and more extreme weather.
  • Scientists have already created cattle with shorter coats for warmer climates and rice that can handle drier conditions.
  • Several companies are now working to develop corn with shorter and stronger stalks that reduce the risk of damage during severe storms.

Adapted crops for future climate

Innovation Genomics Institute (IGI) at the University of California is working to develop rice that can handle drier conditions. Through CRISPR technology, researchers have been able to reduce the number of pores in the rice plant's leaves by 20 percent, which allows the plant to retain more water without affecting growth, reports MIT Technology Review.

The company Acceligen in Minnesota has developed cattle with shorter coats that are better adapted to warmer temperatures. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved meat from these animals for sale to American consumers.

Several companies are now working to develop corn with shorter and stronger stalks that reduce the risk of damage during severe storms. Other projects focus on developing cover crops that can sequester more carbon dioxide and produce biofuels.

More efficient plant breeding with CRISPR

CRISPR enables precise changes in plant DNA, saving both time and money compared to traditional plant breeding. Conventional methods like crossing between different plant varieties create many random changes in the genome that aren't always beneficial.

IGI is collaborating with University of California, Davis to investigate if CRISPR can be used to modify the microbes in cows' stomachs. The goal is to reduce their production of methane gas, which is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. If the project succeeds, it could be applied to cows worldwide.

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