Rice made to breathe underwater

Flood-resistant crops could aid developing nations. It's good news for the Philippines...

Biologists have found a gene that enables rice to live longer underwater. The new breed can survive underwater for up to two weeks, researchers say — most rice plants die within days of being submerged.

The discovery could pave the way for flood-resistant rice, helping millions of the world's poorest farmers who lose their crops each year to flooding. [Link]

Update: Researchers in the Philippines and the United States have isolated a gene that will enable rice to survive flooding, it was announced Thursday[Link].