Plastic from poplars Aspen trees, more commonly known here as poplar, have been genetically altered to produce plastic by scientists at Korea's national forestry research institute. Engineered to express genes from a soil bacterium, the trees produce biodegradable plastic. The trees have been grown in the lab and are now being tested by industry. Field of vaccines Crops like hay and alfalfa, called forage crops, could have a value beyond their use as animal feed. Scientists in Scotland have developed a technology that could result in these crops being grown to produce certain kinds of vaccines.
Scientists attach special proteins to the normal protein coating of a virus.
The crops are then infected with the virus, which multiplies rapidly, increasing protein content. This technique could also be used to grow higher-protein forage crops. More wheaties Chinese researchers are reporting development of new varieties of wheat that yields 30 per cent to 50 per cent more than other varieties. Fish genes have been transplanted into beets, resulting in transgenic plants that can survive the cold. Chinese scientists have developed beets than can survive temperatures of six to 6.5 degrees below zero.