Japanese scientists have discovered genes that enable rice to survive high water, providing hope for better production in lowland areas affected by flooding.
The scientists, primarily from the University of Nagoya, reported their findings in Thursday's issue of the science magazine Nature.
The SNORKEL genes help rice grow longer stems to deal with higher water levels. Deep-water rice generally produces lower-yield plants. But the researchers report they have succeeded in introducing the genes to rice varieties that have a higher yield.