Chinese scientists have discovered a crop gene that, once deactivated, can allow plants to thrive in saline and alkaline soils, a feat that has the potential to create new saline-alkaline tolerant crops, according to studies published in the journals Science and National Science Review on Friday. The gene, called AT1, plays a key role in regulating the plant's response to saline and alkaline environments. Field experiments have shown that without the gene, crops such as sorghum, rice, wheat, maize and millet have higher yields and biomass when planted in fields with low to medium saline-alkaline content. The new saline-alkaline tolerant variant for sorghum recorded a grain production increase of 20 percent compared to the controlled group, while biomass could increase by 30 percent, according to the study. Sorghum grains can be made into vital commercial products such as alcohol and vinegar, and sorghum stalks are common livestock fodder for pigs, goats and cattle.