Tweaked barley may keep beer flowing as climate change hits crops

Climate change is shifting the planting season and introducing other weather phenomena that might have a big impact on the yield in the coming years. In addition to farmers adjusting their practice to take into account these changes, scientists have developed a modified plant version using gene editing tools to help plants withstand the local climate.

Crops and climate

Barley is the main plant, among others, is used to produce beer. The same plant is very susceptible to climate change, because the rain that arrives earlier than expected can cause barley to grow before harvesting. Barley which is sprout before harvest is worth a little on the market, the cost of farmers.

Although unexpected weather conditions can occur at any time, climate change triggers problems with increasingly disturbing weather patterns. This problem is expected to be faster than previously expected, with warnings of new studies that farmers only have the next decade or more to adjust how they plant and manage plants to avoid greater losses.

Resistance in genes

However, gene editing technology can help reduce this problem, by fiddling with Barley to stay active for a longer period of time, delay when grains increase and potentially help ensure high-quality wheat plants. Researchers with Okayama University in Japan have published new studies that detail this kind of genetic manipulation.

Although a genetically modified barley designed to prevent pre-harvest sprouts is not a new idea, the previous job of this problem has experienced problems. Modifying barley so that it remains inactive for a longer period of time can cause germination problems and disrupt the production of malts, for example.