VOA慢速英语20061003a

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Gene¹ Researchers Work on Flood-Resistant RiceBy Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Tuesday, October 03, 2006

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Rice plants normally grow well in standing² water. But most will die if they are completely underwater for more than four days. Now, researchers have identified a gene that lets rice survive longer underwater. They say the discovery will lead to new kinds of rice plants that can survive flooding. And that could mean more dependable food supplies.

Tests are now being done in Laos, Bangladesh and India. The researchers say experimental rice plants with the gene have survived underwater as long as two weeks.

Two teams worked together on the research. One was from the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. The other was from the University of California at Davis and Riverside.


photoscom rice field asia 05nov04 210

When flooding happens, most kinds of rice plants cannot get enough oxygen, carbon dioxide or sunlight. But the scientists say crop loss depends on several conditions. These include water depth and plant age. Others include the amount of time the plant is underwater and the rate of nitrogen fertilizer used on the crop.

On a genetic³ map of rice, the scientists became interested in a group of three genes⁴. They experimented with one of them, a gene known as Sub-One-A. They found that when this gene is made to become very active, it improves the ability of rice to survive longer when covered by water. They believe it succeeds because it affects the reaction to hormones⁵ that govern the ability of a flooded plant to survive.

The researchers then placed the gene into rice plants that are especially good for conditions in India. They say the genetically⁶ engineered plants not only survived but also produced good crops.

American and German government agencies paid for the study. Nature magazine published the results in August.

The researchers are now trying to identify all the genes governed by the Sub-One-A gene. Being able to leave water on rice plants for an additional week might also help farmers suppress the growth of weeds. Less weed growth around their crops would mean less need for herbicide chemicals.

Finally, we reported last week on the recent outbreak of E. coli infections in the United States from fresh spinach⁷. On Friday the government announced that all the bad spinach came from one California grower and processor, Natural Selection Foods. Officials continue to investigate the cause.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. For more reports, including transcripts⁸ and MP3 files, go to www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

4 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

5 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

6 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

7 spinach   

n.菠菜

参考例句：

• Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。
• You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。

8 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句