No Small Potato 土豆有望高产

By Jon Ironmonger, BBC News

The humble spud provides the world's fourth-largest crop

媒体英语会带大家一起学习 BBC 撰稿人在报道世界大事时常用到的单词和短语。

Background: 科学家首次破解了马铃薯这种作物的全部基因组。这一成果刊登在最新一期的《自然》期刊上。这一突破将有助于提高马铃薯产量。

The humble potato is in fact the world's fourth largest food crop, with a global annual yield of around 330 million tonnes.

In an international project lasting several years, researchers have successfully recorded its complete chemical blueprint, deciphering and organising hundreds of millions of pieces of genetic coding.

By mapping the plant's genome scientists can locate the genes that control various traits, like colour, starchiness and flavour, leading to the creation of improved varieties at a much quicker pace.

Professor Iain Gordon from the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, which headed the British team, said the genome sequence would allow breeders to develop new types that are more nutritious, resistant to pests and diseases and easier to cultivate.

He said the breakthrough could help to meet the challenge of feeding the world's soaring population.