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RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
#1

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
https://news.uchicago.edu/story/rna-brea...ate-change

Quote:  Manipulating RNA can allow plants to yield dramatically more crops, as well as increasing drought tolerance, announced a group of scientists from the University of Chicago, Peking University and Guizhou University.

In initial tests, adding a gene encoding for a protein called FTO to both rice and potato plants increased their yield by 50% in field tests. The plants grew significantly larger, produced longer root systems and were better able to tolerate drought stress. Analysis also showed that the plants had increased their rate of photosynthesis.

“The change really is dramatic,” said University of Chicago Prof. Chuan He, who together with Prof. Guifang Jia at Peking University led the research. “What’s more, it worked with almost every type of plant we tried it with so far, and it’s a very simple modification to make.”


The researchers—along with other leading experts—are hopeful about the potential of this breakthrough, especially in the face of climate change and other pressures on crop systems worldwide.


“This really provides the possibility of engineering plants to potentially improve the ecosystem as global warming proceeds,” said He, who is the John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. “We rely on plants for many, many things—everything from wood, food, and medicine, to flowers and oil—and this potentially offers a way to increase the stock material we can get from most plants.”


Hopefully this will allow us to drastically reduce food scarcity in the near future. 
“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.” -Carl Sagan.
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#2

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
I read this increase in cropping availability and viability as a very positive thing, but I'm
sure the usual anti-GMO!!! rent-a-crowd will be out in force shortly to claim our babies
will be born with Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy or gastroschisis etc etc.

[Image: ydny99br-1372035585.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q...0&fit=clip]

RNA is similar to DNA in lots of ways. It's a long single chain of sugars linked together by phosphate groups.
I'm a creationist;   I believe that man created God.
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#3

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 05:54 AM)SYZ Wrote: I read this increase in cropping availability and viability as a very positive thing, but I'm
sure the usual anti-GMO!!! rent-a-crowd will be out in force shortly to claim our babies
will be born with Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy or gastroschisis etc etc.

I have no problems with improving corn, wheat, or rice genes.  So long as it involves corn, wheat, or rice genes.  What I don't want is some squid or horse or poison ivy genes involved.  We don't know enough about the consequences yet.
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#4

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-22-2021, 10:08 PM)GenesisNemesis Wrote: Hopefully this will allow us to drastically reduce food scarcity in the near future. 

This sounds good, but I wonder about other limiting factors like soil minerals.  Is the result going to be more food but less nutrition?
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#5

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
All down to science, no religion required.
The whole point of having cake is to eat it Cake_Feast
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#6

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
Cue the GMO nutcases.

Now, I don't want people starving to death, so I like this. But I also worry because quite frankly I think the major problems we're facing -- AGW, desertification, overfishing, and so on -- are rooted in human overpopulation. While this may address world hunger, it may exacerbate these other issues, which are just as crucial, if not more so, to our survivability.
On hiatus.
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#7

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 06:45 AM)Cavebear Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:54 AM)SYZ Wrote: I read this increase in cropping availability and viability as a very positive thing, but I'm
sure the usual anti-GMO!!! rent-a-crowd will be out in force shortly to claim our babies
will be born with Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy or gastroschisis etc etc.

I have no problems with improving corn, wheat, or rice genes.  So long as it involves corn, wheat, or rice genes.  What I don't want is some squid or horse or poison ivy genes involved.  We don't know enough about the consequences yet.

Well, if you've ever eaten squid with rice in the same meal it's the same thing as having a squid gene inside a wheat gene.  Your body won't know the difference.  Scientists put a fish gene in a tomato but people went nuts over it yet I'm pretty sure they've eaten fish with a side salad that involved sliced up tomatoes.
                                                         T4618
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#8

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 05:24 PM)Dancefortwo Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 06:45 AM)Cavebear Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:54 AM)SYZ Wrote: I read this increase in cropping availability and viability as a very positive thing, but I'm
sure the usual anti-GMO!!! rent-a-crowd will be out in force shortly to claim our babies
will be born with Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy or gastroschisis etc etc.

I have no problems with improving corn, wheat, or rice genes.  So long as it involves corn, wheat, or rice genes.  What I don't want is some squid or horse or poison ivy genes involved.  We don't know enough about the consequences yet.

Well, if you've ever eaten squid with rice in the same meal it's the same thing as having a squid gene inside a wheat gene.  Your body won't know the difference.  Scientists put a fish gene in a tomato but people went nuts over it yet I'm pretty sure they've eaten fish with a side salad that involved sliced up tomatoes.

But what if wheat grows tentacles? Think of the children!
On hiatus.
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#9

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 05:34 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: But what if wheat grows tentacles?

Japan would have a whole new class of porn? Tongue

While I agree with you about the problems facing humanity, I think we have to take steps toward solving them whenever and wherever we can, working on whichever problem those steps will address. More importantly, we need to invest far more effort and resources into looking for more places to put our feet, and take those steps as well.
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#10

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 05:24 PM)Dancefortwo Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 06:45 AM)Cavebear Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:54 AM)SYZ Wrote: I read this increase in cropping availability and viability as a very positive thing, but I'm
sure the usual anti-GMO!!! rent-a-crowd will be out in force shortly to claim our babies
will be born with Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy or gastroschisis etc etc.

I have no problems with improving corn, wheat, or rice genes.  So long as it involves corn, wheat, or rice genes.  What I don't want is some squid or horse or poison ivy genes involved.  We don't know enough about the consequences yet.

Well, if you've ever eaten squid with rice in the same meal it's the same thing as having a squid gene inside a wheat gene.  Your body won't know the difference.  Scientists put a fish gene in a tomato but people went nuts over it yet I'm pretty sure they've eaten fish with a side salad that involved sliced up tomatoes.

The interaction of genes within an organism (plant or animal) is not the same as just eating both. Digestion is not the same as reproductive consequences.

And never mind that "rice" is not "wheat". Tongue
Never try to catch a dropped kitchen knife!
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#11

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:34 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: But what if wheat grows tentacles?

Japan would have a whole new class of porn? Tongue

While I agree with you about the problems facing humanity, I think we have to take steps toward solving them whenever and wherever we can, working on whichever problem those steps will address. More importantly, we need to invest far more effort and resources into looking for more places to put our feet, and take those steps as well.

I think it was TRDSF who mentioned "tentacle porn" to me first. There isn't MUCH I don't want to know about, but that is one.

But back to genes... I am all in favor of using CRISPR to improve wheat genes with wheat genes. That is just accelerated breeding. And HURRAY for better food crop production! And if they could keep a kitten a kitten for 15 years, I'd be cool with that (assuming no mental craziness for the kitten as a result). What I don't want are things that might cause bad reactions you couldn't expect beforehand from some GMO. Suppose a peanut gene increased the shelf-life of a tomato and you were allergic to peanuts?
Never try to catch a dropped kitchen knife!
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#12

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:34 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: But what if wheat grows tentacles?

Japan would have a whole new class of porn? Tongue

brb, googling Smile

(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote: While I agree with you about the problems facing humanity, I think we have to take steps toward solving them whenever and wherever we can, working on whichever problem those steps will address. More importantly, we need to invest far more effort and resources into looking for more places to put our feet, and take those steps as well.

I say this as a friend: I think we, as a species, need to reduce our footprint. I'm not sure that can or will happen fast enough, and I think therefore that this tech could be counterproductive. I don't know that space-travel will work, and more to the point, I don't know that such technology will prevent hundreds of millions, or billions, of deaths. And those dead folk ain't gonna care about the species. And feeding a bunch more here who don't have the money to get off the planet ... well, you have to shit somewhere.

I wish I had a better answer for you, but I honestly don't. I think we may have painted ourselves into a corner.
On hiatus.
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#13

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 10:25 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:34 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: But what if wheat grows tentacles?

Japan would have a whole new class of porn? Tongue

brb, googling Smile

(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote: While I agree with you about the problems facing humanity, I think we have to take steps toward solving them whenever and wherever we can, working on whichever problem those steps will address. More importantly, we need to invest far more effort and resources into looking for more places to put our feet, and take those steps as well.

I say this as a friend: I think we, as a species, need to reduce our footprint. I'm not sure that can or will happen fast enough, and I think therefore  that this tech could be counterproductive. I don't know that space-travel will work, and more to the point, I don't know that such technology will prevent hundreds of millions, or billions, of deaths. And those dead folk ain't gonna care about the species. And feeding a bunch more here who don't have the money to get off the planet ... well, you have to shit somewhere.

I wish I had a better answer for you, but I honestly don't. I think we may have painted ourselves into a corner.

Huzzas and cheers! I'm old enough to probably not suffer the consequences of future climate change. And I leave no descendants behind to suffer. But while I don't have direct concerns, I care about humanity itself as a species. Individuals are welcome to go "Darwin" themselves (and I actually enjoy reading of those who do), but I want to hope that we generally will continue.

I grew up in the Nuclear Age where we could kill ourselves off at any time. And hoping we were smart enough to not do that. But climate change resistance has me scared worse for our future. It's the "boiled frog" or enclosed room thing. Things just worse so slowly too many people don'r realize it.

We are used to identifying problems and fixing them. Remember the Ozone Hole? But the frog doesn't...
Never try to catch a dropped kitchen knife!
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#14

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-23-2021, 10:25 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote:
(07-23-2021, 05:34 PM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: But what if wheat grows tentacles?

Japan would have a whole new class of porn? Tongue

brb, googling Smile

(07-23-2021, 07:00 PM)TheGentlemanBastard Wrote: While I agree with you about the problems facing humanity, I think we have to take steps toward solving them whenever and wherever we can, working on whichever problem those steps will address. More importantly, we need to invest far more effort and resources into looking for more places to put our feet, and take those steps as well.

I say this as a friend: I think we, as a species, need to reduce our footprint. I'm not sure that can or will happen fast enough, and I think therefore  that this tech could be counterproductive. I don't know that space-travel will work, and more to the point, I don't know that such technology will prevent hundreds of millions, or billions, of deaths. And those dead folk ain't gonna care about the species. And feeding a bunch more here who don't have the money to get off the planet ... well, you have to shit somewhere.

I wish I had a better answer for you, but I honestly don't. I think we may have painted ourselves into a corner.

I agree that we're certainly painting ourselves in, but I'm not sure we're there yet. There's a loose consensus that we can survive with up to 10 billion in population. That doesn't take into account global warming, but it does consider technological improvements like the one that prompted this conversation. I think if we were to adopt some serious population control measures coupled with aggressive attacks on global warming, we could pull back from the brink. Whether or not enough people and their governments buy in is the biggest question, and the one for which I feel the greatest cynicism.
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#15

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
The funny thing with the rabid anti-GMO mob is that a lot of them are probably
unaware that they've most likely been eating commercially-produced, genetically
modified foodstuffs for decades.      Panic

Soybean,
Summer Squash,
Alfalfa,

Zucchini,
Sugar beet,
Papaya,

Canola Oil,
Tomato,
Potato,

Rice,
Corn,
Cottonseed oil.
I'm a creationist;   I believe that man created God.
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#16

RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
(07-24-2021, 09:29 AM)SYZ Wrote: The funny thing with the rabid anti-GMO mob is that a lot of them are probably
unaware that they've most likely been eating commercially-produced, genetically
modified foodstuffs for decades.      Panic

Soybean,
Summer Squash,
Alfalfa,

Zucchini,
Sugar beet,
Papaya,

Canola Oil,
Tomato,
Potato,

Rice,
Corn,
Cottonseed oil.

The fact is that every single crop and herd-animal we eat has been genetically modified. The only difference is that we heretofore had to do it generationally, through selective breeding and pollination, rather than splicing.
On hiatus.
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