downtoearth-subscribe

Cottonseeds to check malnourishment?

Cottonseeds to check malnourishment? a new study claims to turn toxic cottonseeds into nutritious dinners for millions of undernourished people across the world. Keerti Rathore, a scientist at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, has tinkered with the genes in cottonseeds to stop the release of gossypol, its naturally-occurring toxin.

If cottonseeds become edible, it is estimated that the protein needs (cotton seeds contain 22 per cent high-quality protein) of over 500 million people will be met. And it will make cotton a multi-utility crop