UK scientists could make poison pea a crucial crop

Gene editing or selective breeding hold promise of a non-toxic variety of the protein-rich and drought-resistant plantIt is grown in some of the world ’s most inhospitable, arid regions and is noted for being rich in protein. But the grass pea – although hardy and nutritious – comes with a catch. It contains a poison that can occasionally trigger irreversible paralysis, particularly among individuals who are already undernourished.As a result, it is often grown only as an insurance crop, to provide short-term food supply when harvests of other crops have failed. Nevertheless, poisoning fromLathyrus sativus still occurs in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Ethiopia and Algeria.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Science Food science Climate crisis Agriculture Genetics Environment UK news Biology Plants Farming Source Type: news