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Researchers Discover Plant Mechanism for Oil Biosynthesis

A study led by researchers from Washington State University (WSU) discovered the genetic mechanism of Physaria fendleri, a plant related to canola, to change the fatty acid composition in its seed oil after it is already made. This discovery led to the genetic engineering of Arabidopsis to make the same fatty acid changes.

The value of plant oils is highly dependent on their fatty acid composition. According to Phil Bates, a WSU professor and lead author of the study, approximately 90% of oil holds significant value for industrial uses in crops like castor beans. Their study, published in Nature Communications, shows that the modified Arabidopsis produced significant amounts of oil similar to castor oil, which is not naturally produced by the plant.

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Cheapest States to Buy Farmland in America

Video: Cheapest States to Buy Farmland in America

The United States has more than 895 million acres of farmland, which includes all rural land tied to farming operations, from highly fertile Midwest cornfields to vast grazing ranges in the West, as well as the undeveloped rural land, which is often sold as ranches, homesteads, or uncultivated lots. Nowadays investing in rural land is very lucrative even billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett have bought up thousands of acres of farmland across America. In contrast to investors, agricultural companies, and business moguls, some buy farmland for their own requisites, like starting a small farmstead, creating a cottage, and becoming self-resilient. In this video we have ranked the top cheapest states to buy farmland according to the per-acre land value, which is accumulated from the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s per-acre land values come from an annual survey, which is cross-checked with actual sales data, appraisals, and market trends to ensure accuracy. So here are The top Cheapest States to Buy Farmland.