Scientists from Argentina's Universidad del Litoral have isolated a gene that, once introduced into the sunflower, helps this crop tolerate extreme drought.

Mexican maize - Claudio Contreras

Raquel Chan, the program's co-director, told Tierramérica that they first isolated a gene that proved effective in unfavorable environmental conditions, particularly under ''hydric stress'', or water deficiency.

Fellow researcher Daniel González said that by introducing this resistant gene into a sunflower plant — using biotechnology and under experimental conditions — they created a transgenic organism that may one day be used in commercial farm production.