As the global population is steadily growing at a rate of 88 million people per year, researchers are using advanced nuclear methods to study pest resistance in corn that could help to make significant strides toward solving global food shortages.
One of the largest threats to the corn is the rootworm. As soon as the larvae hatch, they immediately start to feed on the crop’s root system, thus damaging the plants in the process.
In an effort to combat this problem, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Bern in Switzerland, Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York and the U.S. Department of Agriculture used radioisotopes to trace essential nutrients and hormone.
The team used the powerful plant hormone, auxin, with a radioactive tracer and used PET imaging to assess the movement of auxin in living plant roots during real time.
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Jodelle joined TriMed Media Group in 2016 as a senior writer, focusing on content for Radiology Business and Health Imaging. After receiving her master's from DePaul University, she worked as a news reporter and communications specialist.