New Genetically Modified Soybean Yields 25 Higher Yield To Boost Global Food Security Gm

The field trials are the first successful demonstration that genetic engineering can be used to directly target the photosynthesis process in food crops. The improvements observed are almost unprecedented for this type of intervention and will take decades to achieve through selective breeding. The progress comes as the most recent UN food security report found that nearly 10% of the world’s population went hungry last year, up from 8% in 2019, and with predictions that the climate crisis will lead to tougher growing conditions for crops. “This result is really relevant right now. One in 10 people on the planet are starving. This is the biggest health crisis on the planet,” said the director of the research program, Professor Stephen Long, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soybeans are a vital food. Photo: Fred Scheiber/AFP/Getty Images Long began researching how to improve photosynthesis—the process that converts sunlight into chemical energy—more than 25 years ago. The latest work targets genes involved in a process plants use to protect themselves from strong sunlight, which can bleach leaves if plants absorb more energy than they can use for growth. To prevent this, plants have a protective mechanism called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) that releases excess energy through heat. In bright sunlight, fading begins almost instantaneously, like a human eye twitching. But it takes up to half an hour for the process to switch off again, meaning that if a cloud passes overhead, plants needlessly divert energy they could use to grow. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve this kind of yield increase. Professor Jonathan Jones The scientists modified three genes that allowed the soybean plant to be more responsive to lower light conditions. The modified soybeans had an average improved yield of 25% in five large trials, with one trial showing a 33% boost. By comparison, selective breeding of soybeans — one of the most intensively cultivated crops on the planet — had led to about a 1 percent yield improvement each year, Long said. “After years of trials and tribulations, it’s great to see such a spectacular result for the team,” he added. Professor Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory, a plant research institute based in Norfolk, described the results as “very impressive”. “I’m surprised how well it seems to work in terms of actual performance,” said Jones, who was not involved in the research. “A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve that kind of yield increase.” The team had previously demonstrated the idea in tobacco plants, but critics had questioned whether the increase in leaf growth seen in tobacco would translate into improved seed or bean yield in a food crop. The team hopes the latest work, published in the journal Science, will dispel lingering skepticism. “The soybean is a breakthrough,” Long said. It also suggests the approach could have wider applications, with trials planned for rice, wheat and cassava. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a grant from the UK Foreign Office with the funding condition that the technology be made available free of charge to farmers in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. It could also have commercial applications elsewhere, although current laws would preclude the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK and EU. Jones predicted that large agricultural companies would want to license the technology. “And why not? That’s a good thing,” he said. “One would hope that there would be big royalties that Gates could charge on that, which could go back into food security research.”

title: “New Genetically Modified Soybean Yields 25 Higher Yield To Boost Global Food Security Gm Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-26” author: “Lily Johnson”

The field trials are the first successful demonstration that genetic engineering can be used to directly target the photosynthesis process in food crops. The improvements observed are almost unprecedented for this type of intervention and will take decades to achieve through selective breeding. The progress comes as the most recent UN food security report found that nearly 10% of the world’s population went hungry last year, up from 8% in 2019, and with predictions that the climate crisis will lead to tougher growing conditions for crops. “This result is really relevant right now. One in 10 people on the planet are starving. This is the biggest health crisis on the planet,” said the director of the research program, Professor Stephen Long, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soybeans are a vital food. Photo: Fred Scheiber/AFP/Getty Images Long began researching how to improve photosynthesis—the process that converts sunlight into chemical energy—more than 25 years ago. The latest work targets genes involved in a process plants use to protect themselves from strong sunlight, which can bleach leaves if plants absorb more energy than they can use for growth. To prevent this, plants have a protective mechanism called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) that releases excess energy through heat. In bright sunlight, fading begins almost instantaneously, like a human eye twitching. But it takes up to half an hour for the process to switch off again, meaning that if a cloud passes overhead, plants needlessly divert energy they could use to grow. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve this kind of yield increase. Professor Jonathan Jones The scientists modified three genes that allowed the soybean plant to be more responsive to lower light conditions. The modified soybeans had an average improved yield of 25% in five large trials, with one trial showing a 33% boost. By comparison, selective breeding of soybeans — one of the most intensively cultivated crops on the planet — had led to about a 1 percent yield improvement each year, Long said. “After years of trials and tribulations, it’s great to see such a spectacular result for the team,” he added. Professor Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory, a plant research institute based in Norfolk, described the results as “very impressive”. “I’m surprised how well it seems to work in terms of actual performance,” said Jones, who was not involved in the research. “A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve that kind of yield increase.” The team had previously demonstrated the idea in tobacco plants, but critics had questioned whether the increase in leaf growth seen in tobacco would translate into improved seed or bean yield in a food crop. The team hopes the latest work, published in the journal Science, will dispel lingering skepticism. “The soybean is a breakthrough,” Long said. It also suggests the approach could have wider applications, with trials planned for rice, wheat and cassava. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a grant from the UK Foreign Office with the funding condition that the technology be made available free of charge to farmers in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. It could also have commercial applications elsewhere, although current laws would preclude the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK and EU. Jones predicted that large agricultural companies would want to license the technology. “And why not? That’s a good thing,” he said. “One would hope that there would be big royalties that Gates could charge on that, which could go back into food security research.”

title: “New Genetically Modified Soybean Yields 25 Higher Yield To Boost Global Food Security Gm Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Jason Begay”

The field trials are the first successful demonstration that genetic engineering can be used to directly target the photosynthesis process in food crops. The improvements observed are almost unprecedented for this type of intervention and will take decades to achieve through selective breeding. The progress comes as the most recent UN food security report found that nearly 10% of the world’s population went hungry last year, up from 8% in 2019, and with predictions that the climate crisis will lead to tougher growing conditions for crops. “This result is really relevant right now. One in 10 people on the planet are starving. This is the biggest health crisis on the planet,” said the director of the research program, Professor Stephen Long, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soybeans are a vital food. Photo: Fred Scheiber/AFP/Getty Images Long began researching how to improve photosynthesis—the process that converts sunlight into chemical energy—more than 25 years ago. The latest work targets genes involved in a process plants use to protect themselves from strong sunlight, which can bleach leaves if plants absorb more energy than they can use for growth. To prevent this, plants have a protective mechanism called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) that releases excess energy through heat. In bright sunlight, fading begins almost instantaneously, like a human eye twitching. But it takes up to half an hour for the process to switch off again, meaning that if a cloud passes overhead, plants needlessly divert energy they could use to grow. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve this kind of yield increase. Professor Jonathan Jones The scientists modified three genes that allowed the soybean plant to be more responsive to lower light conditions. The modified soybeans had an average improved yield of 25% in five large trials, with one trial showing a 33% boost. By comparison, selective breeding of soybeans — one of the most intensively cultivated crops on the planet — had led to about a 1 percent yield improvement each year, Long said. “After years of trials and tribulations, it’s great to see such a spectacular result for the team,” he added. Professor Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory, a plant research institute based in Norfolk, described the results as “very impressive”. “I’m surprised how well it seems to work in terms of actual performance,” said Jones, who was not involved in the research. “A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve that kind of yield increase.” The team had previously demonstrated the idea in tobacco plants, but critics had questioned whether the increase in leaf growth seen in tobacco would translate into improved seed or bean yield in a food crop. The team hopes the latest work, published in the journal Science, will dispel lingering skepticism. “The soybean is a breakthrough,” Long said. It also suggests the approach could have wider applications, with trials planned for rice, wheat and cassava. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a grant from the UK Foreign Office with the funding condition that the technology be made available free of charge to farmers in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. It could also have commercial applications elsewhere, although current laws would preclude the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK and EU. Jones predicted that large agricultural companies would want to license the technology. “And why not? That’s a good thing,” he said. “One would hope that there would be big royalties that Gates could charge on that, which could go back into food security research.”

title: “New Genetically Modified Soybean Yields 25 Higher Yield To Boost Global Food Security Gm Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-25” author: “Dennis Murray”

The field trials are the first successful demonstration that genetic engineering can be used to directly target the photosynthesis process in food crops. The improvements observed are almost unprecedented for this type of intervention and will take decades to achieve through selective breeding. The progress comes as the most recent UN food security report found that nearly 10% of the world’s population went hungry last year, up from 8% in 2019, and with predictions that the climate crisis will lead to tougher growing conditions for crops. “This result is really relevant right now. One in 10 people on the planet are starving. This is the biggest health crisis on the planet,” said the director of the research program, Professor Stephen Long, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soybeans are a vital food. Photo: Fred Scheiber/AFP/Getty Images Long began researching how to improve photosynthesis—the process that converts sunlight into chemical energy—more than 25 years ago. The latest work targets genes involved in a process plants use to protect themselves from strong sunlight, which can bleach leaves if plants absorb more energy than they can use for growth. To prevent this, plants have a protective mechanism called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) that releases excess energy through heat. In bright sunlight, fading begins almost instantaneously, like a human eye twitching. But it takes up to half an hour for the process to switch off again, meaning that if a cloud passes overhead, plants needlessly divert energy they could use to grow. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve this kind of yield increase. Professor Jonathan Jones The scientists modified three genes that allowed the soybean plant to be more responsive to lower light conditions. The modified soybeans had an average improved yield of 25% in five large trials, with one trial showing a 33% boost. By comparison, selective breeding of soybeans — one of the most intensively cultivated crops on the planet — had led to about a 1 percent yield improvement each year, Long said. “After years of trials and tribulations, it’s great to see such a spectacular result for the team,” he added. Professor Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory, a plant research institute based in Norfolk, described the results as “very impressive”. “I’m surprised how well it seems to work in terms of actual performance,” said Jones, who was not involved in the research. “A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve that kind of yield increase.” The team had previously demonstrated the idea in tobacco plants, but critics had questioned whether the increase in leaf growth seen in tobacco would translate into improved seed or bean yield in a food crop. The team hopes the latest work, published in the journal Science, will dispel lingering skepticism. “The soybean is a breakthrough,” Long said. It also suggests the approach could have wider applications, with trials planned for rice, wheat and cassava. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a grant from the UK Foreign Office with the funding condition that the technology be made available free of charge to farmers in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. It could also have commercial applications elsewhere, although current laws would preclude the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK and EU. Jones predicted that large agricultural companies would want to license the technology. “And why not? That’s a good thing,” he said. “One would hope that there would be big royalties that Gates could charge on that, which could go back into food security research.”

title: “New Genetically Modified Soybean Yields 25 Higher Yield To Boost Global Food Security Gm Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-28” author: “Mary Wright”

The field trials are the first successful demonstration that genetic engineering can be used to directly target the photosynthesis process in food crops. The improvements observed are almost unprecedented for this type of intervention and will take decades to achieve through selective breeding. The progress comes as the most recent UN food security report found that nearly 10% of the world’s population went hungry last year, up from 8% in 2019, and with predictions that the climate crisis will lead to tougher growing conditions for crops. “This result is really relevant right now. One in 10 people on the planet are starving. This is the biggest health crisis on the planet,” said the director of the research program, Professor Stephen Long, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soybeans are a vital food. Photo: Fred Scheiber/AFP/Getty Images Long began researching how to improve photosynthesis—the process that converts sunlight into chemical energy—more than 25 years ago. The latest work targets genes involved in a process plants use to protect themselves from strong sunlight, which can bleach leaves if plants absorb more energy than they can use for growth. To prevent this, plants have a protective mechanism called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) that releases excess energy through heat. In bright sunlight, fading begins almost instantaneously, like a human eye twitching. But it takes up to half an hour for the process to switch off again, meaning that if a cloud passes overhead, plants needlessly divert energy they could use to grow. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve this kind of yield increase. Professor Jonathan Jones The scientists modified three genes that allowed the soybean plant to be more responsive to lower light conditions. The modified soybeans had an average improved yield of 25% in five large trials, with one trial showing a 33% boost. By comparison, selective breeding of soybeans — one of the most intensively cultivated crops on the planet — had led to about a 1 percent yield improvement each year, Long said. “After years of trials and tribulations, it’s great to see such a spectacular result for the team,” he added. Professor Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory, a plant research institute based in Norfolk, described the results as “very impressive”. “I’m surprised how well it seems to work in terms of actual performance,” said Jones, who was not involved in the research. “A soybean breeder would spend an entire career trying to achieve that kind of yield increase.” The team had previously demonstrated the idea in tobacco plants, but critics had questioned whether the increase in leaf growth seen in tobacco would translate into improved seed or bean yield in a food crop. The team hopes the latest work, published in the journal Science, will dispel lingering skepticism. “The soybean is a breakthrough,” Long said. It also suggests the approach could have wider applications, with trials planned for rice, wheat and cassava. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a grant from the UK Foreign Office with the funding condition that the technology be made available free of charge to farmers in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. It could also have commercial applications elsewhere, although current laws would preclude the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK and EU. Jones predicted that large agricultural companies would want to license the technology. “And why not? That’s a good thing,” he said. “One would hope that there would be big royalties that Gates could charge on that, which could go back into food security research.”