Ukraine is bringing its agricultural biotechnology legislation closer to the European Union (EU) standard by revising its regulations. Starting in August 2026, the country will implement the law "On State Regulation of Genetic Engineering Activities and State Control over the Placement on the Market of Genetically Modified Organisms and Products." The comprehensive framework consolidates existing EU directives into a single document, effectively legalizing the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Ukraine under strict conditions of official registration.

Rice blast is a destructive rice disease caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Here, we identified a resistance gene from the rice cultivar Wanhui 66 which is resistant to the rice blast Guy11 isolate. Genetic mapping positioned a blast resistance locus to chromosome 6. Employing map-based cloning approach ultimately mapped the novel blast resistance locus to a genomic region of 117 kb that contains the Pid3 gene.

Scientists at Rice University have uncovered a critical mechanism that allows young plants to manage their energy and grow before they can harness sunlight. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals how a specific protein regulates the size of peroxisomes—cellular compartments that process stored fatty acids for fuel during the seed-to-seedling stage. This discovery sheds new light on the delicate biological balancing act required for plants to survive their earliest days.