Prospects of biotechnology for crop cultivation in low-lying coastal areas

During severe weather events rice and other crops in nations inhabiting low-lying coastal areas can be submerged under salty sea water long enough to eventually kill them. In fact, many farmers already suffer from these events in the coastal areas of Bangladesh, Mauritius, and Grenada. To survive such natural calamities, the development of salt and submergence resistant-crops could be an effective option. Recent progress in the field of molecular biotechnology has shown that rice plants with tolerance to salt and submergence can be developed in near future.