A sensational discovery was made by the French scientists. They managed to decipher the genome of one of the most famous agricultural crops world - rape.

The group of French research workers for the first time in world practice has been completely decoded the genome of rapeseed. As we are told by the experts, the discovery will help to increase crop productivity, increase its resistance to disease. At the moment rape is considered one of the most valuable agricultural crops worldwide and, for example, in the European Union. Having a huge food value, it showed itself in the twentieth century and as an important raw material for biofuel production.

"Rape is a plant that recently began to be cultivated on a large scale, in consequence of this he remains a great potential for genetic improvement", - informs the Agency of the State Institute of agronomic research (Inra), under whose auspices was executed project.

As the emphasis in the Institute, the absolute decoding of the genome of this plant "lossdiet unique worldwide resource. For starters, the opening allows professionals to identify special genes, using a modification which would have been able to bring the newest varieties, different content and composition of the oil, resistance to pathogens, resistance to frost, yield". Genetically modified rapeseed, add scientists can also create conditions for a more successful application of the nitrates", transfers ITAR-TASS.

Rape is considered a natural amphidiploid - this plant appeared in the result of interbreeding under natural conditions surpize and vegetable cabbage. In this regard, it is noted in Inra, one of the main problems faced by the researchers, was the recognition and distinction 2 subgenomic inherited from plants of the parents.

"This has become possible due to the unique strategies for decoding and through the creation of bioinformatics analysis tools, " said the Institute. For the first time the genome of polyploid was fully decrypted and compared with the genomes of 2 to its parent species. In the culture of rape (Brassica napus) is known for several thousand years. In Europe, this plant has become popular since the XIII century, and especially actively undertook to cultivate in the late seventeenth century. Rapeseed oil was used not only in food, but also for lighting homes, also as a lubricant for steam engines. According to reliable sources FAO for 2013, the total area sown to canola in the world amounts to 36.3 million hectares, and global leaders in its production are Canada, China and India.
sections: Society, World News