At New York University, a team tested how each gene in the genome of rice responds to combinations of water and nutrients. Since changes in nutrient doses can have significant effects on gene expression and plant growth, the scientists decided to expose rice seedlings to varying amounts of nutrients and water to see how they responded. Through computational analysis and eventually a field trial in the Philippines, they found that the gene response to water and nutrients simultaneously were associated with the amount of grain produced by the rice crop.
New York University is a member of NYSERNet’s R&E network. Read more about the experiments here: https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2019/march/the-sense-of-water-and-nitrogen–studies-uncover-genome-wide-res.html