CEFR Level: B1 (Intermediate)

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Engineering Rice to Survive a Warming Planet

February 6, 2026 - As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists are racing to develop rice varieties that can withstand extreme heat. A new study published in Trends in Plant Science outlines innovative strategies for protecting the world’s food supply.

Rice, wheat, and maize are the three most important crops in the world. However, rising temperatures—especially at night—are disrupting plant growth and reducing grain quality. Scientists estimate that crop yields must increase by 37% by 2050 to meet global food demands.

Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute have identified a particularly serious problem: hot nights. When nighttime temperatures are high, plants waste energy through excessive respiration instead of building their grains.

To solve this, scientists are using genetic engineering to modify the plant’s internal clock. By changing specific genes, they can make rice flower earlier in the morning, before temperatures peak. This protects the delicate flowering process from heat damage.

Additionally, researchers are redesigning the physical structure of rice plants. New varieties have erect panicles (the grain-bearing stems) that allow better light distribution and improved photosynthesis even under heat stress.

These innovations could help ensure food security for billions of people in the coming decades.

Vocabulary Help

• engineering = designing and building something new
• varieties = different types of the same thing
• withstand = to survive or resist something difficult
• disrupting = stopping something from working normally
• respiration = the process of breathing; in plants, using energy
• modify = to change or adjust something
• panicles = the branching stems that hold rice grains
• photosynthesis = how plants make food from sunlight

Grammar Focus

• Present continuous for ongoing actions: “Scientists are racing to develop…”
• Relative clauses: “…rice varieties that can withstand extreme heat”
• Passive voice: “A new study was published in Trends in Plant Science”

Source: International Rice Research Institute / Trends in Plant Science / Phys.org