b'I N D U S T R Y N E W S Delivering the news you need to know. Submissions welcomeemail us at news@issuesink.com. species into their genomes through a process known as lateral gene transfer. The stolen genetic secrets give them an evolutionary advantage by allowing them to grow faster, bigger or stronger and adapt to new environments quicker. WUR Unravels the DNA of LettuceIceberg lettuce, oakleaf lettuce, romaine, and all other lettuces that we eat nowadays, descend from wild plants that were modified 6,000 years ago in the Caucasus so that plant oil could be harvested from the seeds. After the ancient Greek and Romans fur-ther bred the plants to use them as leafy vegetables, lettuce also ended up on our plates over time. The The U.S. Department of Agricultures Nationalspecial history of lettuce has been described in detail Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) invested athanks to the DNA analysis of 445 types of lettuce, total of $15M in two key programs awarded throughconducted by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and the Chinese BGI. its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics and Tools. NIFAOSU Releases New, Antioxidant-Richawarded 18 Food and Agriculture CyberinformaticsPurple TomatoThe new Oregon State University-developed tomato Tools grants totaling $10.4 million to initiate researchMidnight Roma follows in the steps of 10-year-old on big data analytics, machine learning, artificialIndigo Rose, the first antioxidant-rich purple tomato intelligence, and predictive technologies needed toavailable on the market.Indigo Rose was bred by Jim Myers, vegeta-keep U.S. agriculture on the leading edge of food andble breeder and professor in the OSU College of agricultural production. NIFA also invested $5.1 millionAgricultural Sciences. Midnight Roma is the result of for 12 Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Foodcrossing Oregon Star, a big, fleshy tomato good for slicing or paste with excellent flavor, and Indigo Rose, Systems grants to support nanotechnology-baseda dark purple tomato that contains anthocyanins, the solutions that improve food production, nutrition,same healthy antioxidants found in blueberries. Both sustainable agriculture and food safety. varieties were also developed at OSU.BUSINESS NEWSU.S. Farmers Expect to Plant More Corn andPepsico Unveils Ambitious NewSoybean Acreage Agriculture GoalsProducers surveyed across the United States intendAs threats from climate change mount, Pepsicos to plant an estimated 91.1 million acres of corn inpositive agriculture strategy focuses on innovative 2021, up less than 1% from last year, according to thefarming practices and empowering farming communi-Prospective Plantings report released today by USDAsties. The agendas far-reaching goals will impact more National Agricultural Statistics Service. Planted acre- than 250,000 people in PepsiCos agricultural supply age intentions for corn are up or unchanged in 24 ofchain, 7 million acres of farmland and 100% of the the 48 estimating states.companys key ingredients by 2030. Naturally GM: Crops Steal Genes from OtherNufarm Expands Cotton Solutions Portfolio Species to Accelerate Evolution with PentiaGrass crops can bend the rules of evolution by bor- Nufarm Americas, Inc. is pleased to announce the rowing genes from their neighbors, giving them aaddition of Pentia Plant Regulator to its expanding competitive advantage, a new study has revealed.portfolio of performance-driven cotton solutions. Research, led by the University of Sheffield, is the firstAcquired from BASF, Pentia will be offered exclusively to show that grasses can incorporate DNA from otherby Nufarm for the 2021 crop year and beyond. Pentia 90/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2021'