Glowing soybeans communicate stress

“A biotechnology company called InnerPlant has developed soybeans that glow when stressed, allowing farmers to intervene early and avoid crop losses. Recently, their system, which pairs the fluorescent soybeans with optical sensors, detected a fungal infection weeks before it would have been visible to the naked eye,” reports The Doomslayer.

CropLife explains:

InnerPlant, the seed technology company engineering crops that communicate their needs, today announced the world’s first real-time detection of an early fungal infection in soybeans through its CropVoice disease alert network currently deployed across Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

CropVoice sensors were triggered by a fungal infection in Yankton County, S.D., and northern Cedar County, Neb., and sent out the first-ever disease alert to farmers, indicating that the field was infected. The alert provided affected farmers with confirmation of an infection weeks before symptoms were visible in the field, giving them ample time to take action to protect their yields.

CropVoice uses InnerSoy™ sensors – soybeans genetically engineered to emit an optical signal when infected – to take the guesswork out of farmers’ disease management decisions by sending real-time alerts via text when an active infection is detected near their fields.”

A genetically-modified chicken lays eggs that people allergic to eggs can eat. Scientists have genetically engineered a cow that produces human insulin in its milk.

Genetic engineering recently produced pork that people who are allergic to pork can eat.

An English toddler has had her hearing restored in a pioneering gene therapy trial.