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Humans aren't the only creatures that can benefit from vaccinations. Animals and plants are also susceptible to catching viruses, some of which can be deadly (like human viruses). So, similar to our human solution, scientists have created a vaccination that can potentially protect entire crops from viral pathogens. Why, you may ask, is it important to protect plants from viruses? Because plants are our main source of food and without them, we're f*cked.
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Just like human viruses, plant viruses are an ever-evolving threat. But the new technique that scientists have developed may help farmers beat the constantly changing pathogens. When a virus infects a plant, it often releases RNA (a polymeric molecule essential for coding and regulating genes), which can fight the virus. Scientists are aiming to streamline this process and help plants become more efficient at fighting viruses.
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The most successful RNAs that scientists have created was 90% successful on the plants it was tested on, simply by spraying the leaves with the vaccine. This is much faster and simpler than genetically engineering a plant to be resistant to viruses, which is highly controversial.
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Scientists are now working on finding out which is the most cost-effective method for spreading the vaccine, and are developing another RNA for the most prevalent economically important viruses such as CMV (Cucumber Mosaic Virus). As the world's population continues to rise, and global food security becomes more uncertain than ever, it is more essential than ever to make sure our food sources are protected. And that's exactly what these scientists are doing. Keep up the good work.
Plants Now Need Vaccinations, Too
Scientists have recently developed a vaccination for plants. Not a plant-based vaccine: a vaccine for plants. And they're saying that as the global population rises, these vaccines are going to be more important than ever.
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