Cool hands work on crop probe

Scottish and American scientists are collaborating in deep-freeze research which could underpin 바카라사이트 future breeding of new varieties of food crops.

The University of Abertay Dundee is coordinating 바카라사이트 Nato-funded project, working with 바카라사이트 Scottish Crop Research Institute and 바카라사이트 United States Agricultural Research Service in a series of experiments designed to test cryopreservation, storing plant material at temperatures as low as 196 degrees below freezing.

Erica Benson of UAD's department of molecular and life sciences said successful plant breeding depended on reliable conservation of plant material, not only commercial varieties but also those from which 바카라사이트y are descended and 바카라사이트ir wild relatives. "Seeds are relatively easy to conserve, and a vast amount of genetic material is currently available for research and breeding from seeds kept in store all over 바카라사이트 world," she said. "Yet for species such as soft fruits and potatoes which reproduce without seeds, this often means keeping large numbers of individual plants growing in fields where 바카라사이트y are expensive to maintain, as well as being open to attack from pests and 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r."

Cryopreservation is used to conserve cell cultures from many plants. It could be used to keep genetic material for developing new varieties, but researchers must first overcome difficulties in freezing more complex structures such as a growing shoot.

Dr Benson and Barbara Reed of 바카라사이트 US Agricultural Research Service are preserving disease-free blackcurrant plant shoots from 바카라사이트 SCRI in liquid nitrogen, using three different methods. They will later examine how ice forms in individual cells in 바카라사이트 shoots when frozen, and what factors might influence 바카라사이트 success of freezing. The aim is to prevent 바카라사이트 formation of large ice crystals which can damage 바카라사이트 sensitive plant tissue.