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November 25, 2011

Genetic Basis of Plant's Adaptability to Climate

Researchers have discovered that the adaptability of a strain of the mustard plant Arabidopsis to any particular climate is determined by a relatively small number of genes--in most cases, around 100 of them. For the study, these genes were identified in various strains of Arabidopsis.

The study, supported in part by the National Science Foundation, involved growing a diverse panel of strains of Arabidopsis in various locations within its native range in Finland, Germany, England and Spain. Then, the genetic mutations increasing plant fitness in each of these locations were identified.

This image accompanied NSF press release "Progress Towards Developing Plants That Accommodate Climate Change."

Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation


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