How genomic mapping could boost crop yields

And potentially save the planet in the process

Rainforest
(Image credit: Think Stock)

Scientists have discovered a gene in oil palms that regulates crop yield, a finding that could lead to improved plant productivity and mitigate the ecological toll of harvesting the widely used oil.

In a set of papers published Wednesday in the journal Nature, a team of American and Malaysian scientists explained how they finally mapped the genomic structure of the oil palm. Of the plant's 34,802 genes, scientists pinpointed one, named SHELL, that governs fruit size and oil yield. This discovery could boost oil output by as much as 30 percent.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.