New way to get more oil from seeds

Scientists here genetically modify seeds to get up to 15% more oil; agriculture industry could benefit

Top: Nanyang Technological University Assistant Professor Ma Wei with a bottle of cooking oil and a beaker of modified seeds in his lab. Above: Prof Ma injecting a solution into a test plant's leaf. PHOTOS: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Nanyang Technological University Assistant Professor Ma Wei with a bottle of cooking oil and a beaker of modified seeds in his lab. PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Top: Nanyang Technological University Assistant Professor Ma Wei with a bottle of cooking oil and a beaker of modified seeds in his lab. Above: Prof Ma injecting a solution into a test plant's leaf. PHOTOS: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Top: Nanyang Technological University Assistant Professor Ma Wei with a bottle of cooking oil and a beaker of modified seeds in his lab. Above: Prof Ma injecting a solution into a test plant's leaf. PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
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Local scientists may have found a way to make plant seeds produce more oil, which could have implications for crops such as oil palm.

Their new method involves genetically modifying plant seeds to produce up to 15 per cent more oil than usual.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 20, 2019, with the headline New way to get more oil from seeds. Subscribe