Scientists find plantlife mechanism that could stem desertification

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists said Tuesday they have
discovered a plantlife mechanism that can be artificially enhanced to help stem
global desertification.

The Gyeongsang National University team led by Lee Sang-yeol said the Thioredoxin
type AtDTX protein can help plants resist heat and aridity. AtDTX is found in
many plants, including mouse-ear cress, grass, rice, barley and potatoes.
"AtDTX taken from a mouse-ear cress was artificially enhanced into a new
'chaperone' protein and then put back into a plant, which consequently showed a
marked improvement in ability to resist heat and lack of water," the biochemistry
professor said.
He said the findings published in the latest issue of the U.S.-based Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences can theoretically be applied to grass and
other plants, which could be used to help curtail the expansion of deserts around
the world.
"The research is important because it opens new horizons for the creation of a
whole new line of plants that are resistant to harsh conditions," the expert
said.
Desertification is caused by overgrazing, over-cultivation, deforestation and
global climate change. Some studies claim that up to 200,000 square km of the
earth's surface are transformed into deserts every year.
In the past, governments have tried to plant trees and scrubs around deserts, but
many such plants have died since they could not withstand harsh climate
conditions.
The scientist said that trial use of the latest discovery may take place in China
and Mongolia, with wide-scale use possible in 10 years.
The research took five years, with the South Korean government providing around
400 million won (US$273,400) in research and development funds.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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