The new tool is poised to help plant breeders develop crops that are healthier and more resistant to drought and pests.
The new tool is poised to help plant breeders develop crops that are healthier and more resistant to drought and pests.
A new tool allows researchers to probe the metabolic processes occurring within the leaves, stems, and roots of a key citrus crop, the clementine. The big picture goal of this research is to improve the yields, flavor and nutritional value of citrus and non-citrus crops, even in the face of increasingly harsh growing conditions and growing pest challenges.
To build the tool, the team — led by the University of California San Diego — focused on the clementine (Citrus clementina), which is a cross between a mandarin orange and a sweet orange.
The effort is expected to expand well beyond the clementine in order to develop actionable information for increasing the productivity and quality of a wide range of citrus and non-citrus crops. The strategy is to uncover – and then make use of – new insights on how plants respond, in terms of metabolic activities in specific parts of the plant or tree, to environmental factors like temperature, drought and disease.
Read more at University of California – San Diego
Photo Credit: Hans via Pixabay
