According to new research from the University of California, Davis, maize plants have developed a new level of genetic tolerance to moderate drought conditions. The study, published in Nature Communications, found that this tolerance was the result of a genetic mutation in the maize genome that allowed the plants to use water more efficiently, improving their survival under drought conditions. This finding could have major implications for maize farmers, as it could help plants cope with climate change-induced drought conditions. In addition, this tolerance could lead to new maize varieties that are better able to withstand drought conditions.

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source: Phys.org