Scarecrow
Scientists have discovered a new gene that could lead to new varieties of staple crops with 50 per cent higher yields, which they say could quell hunger in many countries. The gene discovered by Cornell University researchers could quell the ever-growing challenge of feeding more humans, whose numbers are likely to bloat to 9.5 billion by 2050, with the same amount of water, fertilisers and arable land available today, scientists say. Called Scarecrow, the gene is the first discovered to control a special leaf structure, known as Kranz anatomy, which leads to more efficient photosynthesis.