Striga-resistant crop varieties become a reality

Chinese scientists have identified genes in sorghum that confer resistance to a major parasitic plant, providing a crucial foundation for developing Striga-resistant crop varieties, researchers said.

Using artificial intelligence predictions combined with molecular and cellular biology techniques, the research team pinpointed key amino acid sites that enhance crop resistance to parasitic plants. The discovery could help combat parasitic threats to agriculture worldwide.

The study, published on Wednesday in the journal Cell, was conducted by a collaborative team from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Syngenta Group China and the Yazhou Bay National Laboratory, among others.