Salt of the Earth -- Engineering Salt-tolerant Plants

With the world population at six billion people and counting, a food supply is an ever-increasing concern. Meanwhile, 25 million acres of productive agricultural land are being lost each year as the soil becomes increasingly salty. We could face a substantial shortage. The question is: should we fix the soils or alter the genetics of plants? Eduardo Blumwald at the University of California has genetically engineered a plant to endure salty soils. His transgenic creation borrows a specific salt-tolerant gene for the lowly cabbage plant. Other Life Science Emphases: Food supply