b'Overall, the work suggestsof Nottingham and collabora- more effectively. STATUS BRAZILmicroneedle delivery couldtors uncovered how plantsThe team also showed theEmbrapa has unveiled BRS make biofertiliser use moreadjust their roots to pushresponse can be strength- F21, a new potato cultivar efficient and environmen- through dense soil, identifyingened by increasing levels ofbranded Braschips for its tally targeted, with near-terma detailed mechanism beyonda key regulatory protein (ahigh-output performance potential for urban and verti- the previously known role oftranscription factor), improv- in chip and shoestring cal farms and for high-valuethe hormone ethylene. ing root penetration in com- processing. crops where controlled dosingThey found that in com- pact soilan insight thatThe variety pairs high matters. pacted soil, ethylene buildupcould guide crop breeding toyields with strong frying qual-around roots activates a genedevelop plants better suited toity, thanks to high dry matter called OsARF1, which lowerscompacted or drought-proneand low sugars that produce STATUS COPENHAGEN cellulose production in spe- fields. Although the experi- lighter, crispier chips. It also Soil compaction fromcific root cells. This makes thements were done in rice, thebrings resistance to PVY, plus heavy agricultural machin- inner layer of the root thinnerresearchers think the mecha- good tolerance to late blight ery is increasingly limitingand more flexible so cells cannism is common across manyand black spot, and is now crop growth worldwide andswell and the root can widen,plant species and they identi- entering larger-scale grower drought linked to climatewhile the outer layer thickensfied additional transcriptionand industry evaluations change often makes theand stiffens. Together, thesefactors tied to cellulose controlacross Brazil.SWproblem worse. Researcherschanges let the root expandthat could enable broader from the University ofand resist buckling, helpingredesign of plant structure for Copenhagen, Shanghai Jiaoit act like a biological wedgeagricultural benefits.Tong University, the Universitythat penetrates hard ground FEBRUARY 2026SEEDWORLD.COM /45'