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IMAGE: Harvesting switchgrass in Texas under field rainout shelters for drought tolerance studies. This image complements a Nature paper announcing the release of a high-quality reference sequence of the complex. view more
Credit: David Lowry
Gardeners and farmers around the country recognize that crop varieties grow best in certain regions. Most plant species have adapted to their local environments; for example, crop and ornamental seeds sold for the upper Midwest are often very different than those bred for Texas. Identifying and breeding varieties that have high productivity across a range of environments is becoming increasingly important for food, fuel and other applications, and breeders aren t interested in waiting decades to develop new crops.