Washington, DC
October 28, 2008
 The
U.S. National Academies have released a new
primer on the achievements and promise of plant genome
sciences.
Based on an expert consensus report from the National Research
Council, the booklet explores the potential of the
National
Plant Genome Initiative -- a federal multiagency project
that coordinates research in plant sciences to understand and
ultimately harness plants' properties to help meet agriculture,
nutrition, energy, and human health needs.
For example, by knowing how plants cope with less water, rising
temperatures, and other environmental stresses, scientists could
develop crops that withstand changing climate conditions.
Sections of the booklet examine mutations and manipulation of
food crops, the promise and challenges of biofuels,
environmental stewardship, biomedical advances, and how
scientists can maximize the use of plant sciences.
Free electronic and hard copies of the booklet are available at
http://nas.edu/plant_genome/ |
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