Crop engineering goes south
1999
Moffat, A.S.
The staple crops of the developed world--wheat, corn, rice, and soybeans--get most of the attention from genetic engineers, who are endowing them with genes for resistance to disease and herbicides. Now some researchers are turning their attention to so-called nonprimary crops, often native to the subtropics or tropics, that have untapped potential for producing food, fiber, fuel, and medicines. One such crop, sweet potato, has already been genetically altered to improve its protein quality and may soon be planted commercially (Science, 18 December 1998, p. 2176). Enhanced versions of other crops that produce food or products for export in the developing world are in the pipeline.
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