They say that weeds are simply underappreciated flowers, and a new study supports that thought, suggesting that some supposed "weeds" deserve much more attention. Published in Science Advances, this paper states that Portulaca oleracea, a common plant also called purslane, could influence the creation of drought-resistant crops, completely insusceptible to climate change.
The planet is currently suffering from droughts like never before. According to a recent report from the United Nations, the number and the duration of these disasters has increased almost 30 percent since 2000. This leaves the world "at a crossroads" in its dealings with drought. These incidents take a larger human toll than any other natural disaster during that same time period. And the report stresses the need to develop new strategies for adapting to droughts "urgently, using every tool we can."
The new purslane study suggests that the common plant, likely native to North Africa, the ...
