On the path to better water use efficiency by plants

摘要

RESEARCH by University of Warwick's School of Life Sciences in the UK has opened up a new path to produce water efficient seeds that will be a significant tool to cope with drought resistance, and ensure global food security. The research not only provides the best map to date of the key protein that appears to be the principal gateway for water intake during seed germination - it also actually provides the right map as it appears much of the research to date was focussed on a much less relevant protein. The research team led by Dr Lorenzo Frigerio looked at two proteins that are members of the large family of 'Major Intrinsic Proteins' (MIPs), which are widespread among living organisms and are known to act as water channels governing water uptake.