Genetic On/Off Button Helps Build Better Corn
2017
Botanists now have a brand new tool to use in their efforts to develop new types of agricultural plants with higher yields or improved disease-resistance. Chinese scientists use CRISPR to supply corn plants with a genetic "switch", which can activate and deactivate pollen production. This enables control of whether corn plants can pollinate themselves or if they can only be pollinated by other plants. This improves cross-breed control and may lead to improved corn cultivars.