Key facts
- Chinese scientists have genetically modified cotton by inserting a gene from desert moss.
- The modified cotton is intended to resist a common fungal disease.
- This genetic modification is expected to increase cotton yields by up to 23%.
- The research was led by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography.
Chinese scientists have developed a genetically modified cotton variety by incorporating a gene from a desert moss species. This innovation aims to significantly boost crop yields, potentially by as much as 23%, by providing enhanced resistance to a prevalent fungal disease that poses a global threat to agriculture.
The research, spearheaded by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG), involved inserting a stress-resistance gene derived from a steppe moss found in the Xinjiang region's deserts into cotton plants. This genetic engineering is expected to offer a robust defense against fungal pathogens, thereby safeguarding harvests and improving overall output.