Arabidopsis thaliana . Scientists have deciphered for the first time the entire genetic make-up of a plant, a small weed called Arabidopsis thaliana .
Researchers say the event is a landmark in biology.
It has all the genes that more complicated plants have for roots, seeds, flowers and fighting diseases. It used to take 10 man-years to find one gene. Now, one person, with this new data, can do the same thing in 18 months with a little bit of luck. These findings are freely accessible to researchers worldwide for the benefit of improving the nutrition, the general health and the sustainability of the population and the environment. It provides further evidence that we do have a common origin.