Unlocking a genome Long before we had wheat we domesticated einkorn, a grain variety which is one of the ancestors of our current bread wheat. There are both domesticated as wild einkorn variants. Moreover, this grain has a high disease resistance. And it has in contrast to the sextuple genome of wheat, a diploid genome.Continue reading “Unlocking a genome”
Category Archives: Science
Scattering
Scattering Scattering or non-scattering of seeds is on of the differences between wild and domesticated plants. Non-scattering makes harvesting crops a lot easier. Not surprising researchers like to know the workings of this scattering process. As well as its responsible genes. For grasses, like wheat and rice, lots is known about the mechanical aspects ofContinue reading “Scattering”
Different ways of plant breeding
Different ways of plant breeding Last month the European Commission came with a new proposal regarding the genetic modification of crop plants. They propose crops breed using new genetic techniques not to classify as genetically modified. But which ways of plant breeding are there? Here I will highlight four of them. During breeding of cropsContinue reading “Different ways of plant breeding”
Analog or digital
Analog or digital Often, I speak over gene on/off switches. About proteins that enable a gene to be read either more or less often. These gene on/off switches enable an analog regulation of their genes. In addition, a cell has a system to regulate a gene in a more digital manner, having a gene eitherContinue reading “Analog or digital”
Plant en Zo 