Beneficial bacteria protect crops from heat stress

Today's Video of the Day from KAUST reveals how bacteria can help protect crops from heat and drought. The researchers tested the power of the beneficial bacteria SA187 that lives in the roots of tough, resilient desert shrubs. The team coated wheat seeds with the bacteria and then planted them in the lab, along with seeds that were left untreated.  When exposed to extreme heat, the untreated wheat plants suffered too much to survive. Meanwhile, the wheat plants that had been treated with SA187 …