Could this Antarctic plant unlock secrets of climate-resilient crops?

Could this plant from Antarctica help scientists unlock the genetic secrets to climate-resilient crops? Colobensis quatensis is one of only two flowering plants that grow naturally in Antarctica. It has long attracted scientific interest because it can survive one of the planet's coldest and driest environments. Now a team led by Chilean researchers has produced the complete genetic map of the plant to date. Eduardo Castro is an associate researcher at Chile's Cape Horn International Center and the lead author of the study. The plant's significance is indirect. It is a plant that colonized Antarctica tens of thousands of years ago. So it is an example of a natural biological invasion that reached Antarctica on its own. That is relevant in today's climate change context and it is also an example of adaptation. It is a plant that has adapted to extreme conditions of cold, temperature, salinity and ultraviolet radiation and that can help us with agriculture in the future. The study assembled all 40 chromosome-scale scaffolds that make up the plant's genetic blueprint under a project known as Polarix. We are interested in understanding the genetic determinants of this plant's adaptation to the extreme conditions of the Antarctic region. If we can identify these, we will be able to identify the genes behind these capabilities, these traits. We'll be able to essentially search for similar genes in plants we use in agriculture. Record heat and extensive drought have increased pressure on agriculture in many parts of the world. Scientists said they are now equipped to start assessing whether the plant's traits could be transferred to agricultural crops through genetic editing techniques. However, it can take years. Identifying individual genes is easier once the genome has been mapped. When that has been done, Castro said that scientists could need between 5 to 10 years to develop commercial applications.