The Chinese will create GM rice that can grow even in the heat

Chinese scientists have discovered two genes in rice that can make the crop more heat-resistant.This is

will allow the plant to grow normally even in the heat.

To be more precise, the researchers from uncoveredthe mechanism by which the rice cell membrane senses external heat stress signals before binding to chloroplasts. Too high a temperature can damage the chloroplasts, and the yield then becomes low.

Scientists have identified two genes:Thermo-tolerance 3.1 (TT3.1) and Thermo-tolerance 3.2 (TT3.2). They interact with each other to increase the heat tolerance of rice and reduce grain yield losses caused by heat stress. It turned out that the accumulation of TT3.2 causes damage to chloroplasts, but TT3.1 stabilizes the process.

The researchers used hybridization totransfer TTZ genes from African rice to Asian species. Field trials have shown that the new species is more tolerant of heat - can withstand up to 38 degrees Celsius without yield loss, while conventional species begin to suffer in heat above 35 degrees.