Can Clear Pots Build Drought-Proof Wheat?

Growing grain in clear plastic pots may be a way to counter drought, which is expected to become more severe and more frequent worldwide.

Planting wheat seeds around the rim of a clear plastic pot could speed-up selective breeding for drought-tolerant wheat strains, says Cecile Richard. "We hope to use the clear-pot technique to rapidly discover the genes responsible for these important root characteristics." Shutterstock*

Growing grain in clear plastic pots may be a way to counter drought, which is expected to become more severe and more frequent worldwide.

The inexpensive and simple technique, which will would allow scientists to see through the pot wall and view the roots of the plant, could lead to grain crops such as wheat that are better adapted to drought conditions.

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