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> After four decades of cross-breeding and genetic screening, researchers had developed eight separate species but their yields remained too low to make widespr

> After four decades of cross-breeding and genetic screening, researchers had developed eight separate species but their yields remained too low to make widespread cultivation worthwhile. But last year the team made a breakthrough by doubling the yield to more than 4.5 tonnes per hectare. Wonder if this was a CRISPR project; seems like an exciting development if so, as perhaps the "brackish water resistant" gene could be inserted into other plants as well.

KaiserPro 8y ago
Nope, this is good old fashioned cross polination.
- ethbro 8y ago
  'Making GMOs since 1856!'
  - ImaCake 8y ago
    Haven't we been crossing plants almost as long as we have been cultivating them? Correct me if I'm wrong! :)
    - ethbro 8y ago
      Absolutely, I arbitrarily dated from Mendel's experiments. I figured there's a difference between knowing the method by which something works and simply that it does.
      - ImaCake 8y ago
        Oh! I didn't even think of that reference. I like it though.
ttsda 8y ago
That quote seems to imply they only tested the cross-bred varieties. No CRISPR. That said, whoever wrote this article doesn't seem to know the difference between a species and a variety, so i'll take it with a grain of salt ;)
- theptip 8y ago
  To me, the "... last year the team made a breakthrough by doubling the yield to more than 4.5 tonnes per hectare." part sounds like they changed tack from what they had been trying for the previous 4 decades. Could be a coincidence though.