Priming crops to face impact of climate change
Reading Time: 3 minutesCONFRONTED with the need of increasing global food production – farmers are constantly challenged with altering conditions and emergent soil-borne pathogens brought on by human-induced climate change. Recent data estimate that 40 percent of food crops are lost to plant pests and diseases every year, largely impacting both global food security and the livelihood of smallholder […]
Researchers identify genes to help fruit adapt to droughts
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRESEARCHERS from the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Cornell University have completed the first study that provides a comprehensive picture of changes in gene expression in response to water stress in tomatoes and identified genes that could help plant breeders develop fruit that can cope with drought conditions. Led by BTI Assistant Professor Carmen Catalá, who is also a […]
Artificial intelligence PadiMedical system, accelerates patient critical data sharing
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY AISHAH HISAMUDDIN THE PadiMedical system was designed with the integration of Artificial Intelligence in mind, assisting in the detection of disease features and improving clinical workflow, giving medical practitioners the advantage of responding to the disease in its early stages as one of the supports to accelerate patient clinical image critical data sharing. The cost of medical […]
Kenyans need to turn to GM crops to combat drought
Reading Time: < 1 minuteKENYA is experiencing a severe water shortage due to four failed rainy seasons and is in the middle of the worst droughts that happened in the East African region in four decades. These conditions lead to reduced crop production and indicate a possible famine. One of the solutions to such problems is the adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops […]
Improving country’s food production: Issues and policy responses
Reading Time: 3 minutes BY PROF DATUK M NASIR SHAMSUDIN THE food sector in the country is facing major challenges that will persist for the next decades. These include providing sufficient food to meet the growing population and rising per capita income as well as dietary changes, eradicating hunger and food insecurity. The sector is also influenced […]
Asian agbio players convene under ISAAA/MABIC platform
Reading Time: 4 minutesBY Ts. DR MAHALETCHUMY ARUJANAN & SAARANI VENGADESEN WILL working tirelessly in the laboratories result in GM crops being released into the hands of farmers, subsequently relieving their world from grappling with food insecurity? It is time for scientists to understand the invisible hands that move the needles when it comes to the approval and […]
From food scraps to fine dining cuisines
Reading Time: 3 minutesAT a recent US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) conference in Singapore, international delegates were feasting on “food scraps” during one of the official dinners. Eggshells, soy by-products from tofu processing, coconut chaff, and fruit peels were just some of the “food scraps”. None complained, cringed, or were even skeptical. In fact, everyone was full of […]
Soil – the neglected gold
Reading Time: 4 minutes“IT takes close to 200 years to form one cm of soil in the tropics and the process is even slower in the temperate regions,” says Dr Jeyanny Vijayanathan, a soil scientist at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). Jeyanny who advocates environmental awareness says: “We cannot reverse soil erosion that is happening for centuries now, […]
Can editing help to resolve food security issues?
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY DR SADEQUR RAHMAN AT the centre of all our lives is the necessity of getting enough food, which is more imperative than ever. Our population is almost eight billion and space on our planet is limited. How will we manage to avoid famines and social chaos? It may seem a hopeless task, given all the […]
Homegrown red rice making waves in local stores
Reading Time: 4 minutesINDULGING in research and unleashing innovative ideas is the ultimate goal of any scientist. What develops in the petri dish must translate into products that can be retailed in the market for the benefit of society. For this to be a reality, scientists need business skills and a natural mindset to move their research outcomes […]