Blight-resistant vegetables could be great for farmers, as well as for the environment. Potatoes are sprayed against blight up to 12 times a season in some countries, and a genetically modified variety could bring this number down to two.
A new generation of smarter crops could also increase food security worldwide, which is a growing concern. “I don’t think people realize how much of a threat pathogens pose to food production. We are lucky to have an inexpensive and ample food supply, but a devastating disease can always be just around the corner,” says Professor Howard Judelson, lead researcher of blight disease at the University of California, Riverside.
Indeed, blight can cause havoc worldwide, putting farmers out of business, increasing food prices and resulting in famine.
Read the full original article: The Fight Against Blight
