How a Natural Gene Variant is Helping Barley Adapt to a Changing Climate
A new study published in Nature Communications has found that a naturally-occurring gene variant in barley can help increase the crop’s heat tolerance and could be a key factor in helping farmers adapt to the changing climate. The gene, known as Heatshock Protein 70 (Hsp70), is found in wild barley and helps protect the plant from heat-related stress. The research team, led by plant scientists from the University of Cambridge, have now identified how this gene works and could be used to make barley more resilient to the increasing temperatures brought on by climate change. This could be a major breakthrough in helping farmers across the world produce barley in the face of a changing climate.
source: Phys.org