Researchers at the Australian National University have identified a gene
in algae that could help wheat and rice cope with climate change.
Carbon dioxide levels are rising, and Australia's grain growing regions
are getting drier.

Professor Murray Badger says his research could improve the
photosynthesis of wheat and rice, in an atmosphere of higher carbon
dioxide concentrations.

"If you can take simple genes such as algae and put it into a plant like
wheat, you could change the balance between how much CO2 is fixed and
how much water is lost, much the same way, as farmers would know about
as how a maize plant operates," he said.

[www.abc.net.au]