The New Green Revolution could come from the bush

The next agricultural revolution could come from the edges of fields. A group of scientists is proposing a radical change: harnessing the adaptive genes of weeds to make crops more resilient to climate change and environmental stresses. The proposal builds on recent advances in invasive plant genomics.

For centuries, farmers have tried to eradicate weeds. However, these species have evolved resilience in environments dominated by intensive agricultural practices. This genetic capacity for survival can now be used as a new reservoir to improve the performance of crops such as rice, corn, sorghum and sugar beet.

The authors of the study argue that weeds evolved alongside crops under similar conditions. This makes their adaptations particularly useful and transferable. They can withstand drought, heat, cold, flooding and even deal with pests. Unlike other genetic resources, their adaptations were not isolated in laboratory settings, but were naturally selected under real-world growing conditions.

This proposal comes at a time when agriculture faces three simultaneous challenges: the need to increase food production, the constraints on new land use, and the growing effects of climate change. Genetic erosion in modern crops, which have undergone close genetic selection since the Green Revolution of the 20th century, has reduced the diversity of useful genes available. Weed genes could reverse some of this loss.

Current technology already allows us to identify and isolate adaptive genes with precision. Tools such as gene editing and artificial intelligence help analyze the genomes of invasive plants. According to the authors, weeds are a natural source of evolutionary information — ready to be deciphered and applied. Species such as Amaranthus palmeri e Chenopodium album They stand out for their resilience and can even be explored for the domestication of new food crops.

But the approach also poses risks. By incorporating traits of persistence and competitiveness into crops, there is a risk that they will escape cultivation and become “superweeds,” challenging agricultural management systems. Rice is often cited as an example of dedomestication. Cultivars genetically modified for herbicide resistance have already caused problems by naturalizing beyond human control.

Another obstacle is the genetic complexity of many of the desired traits. Tolerance to environmental stresses, for example, depends on multiple genes and can vary depending on the environment. Still, the authors believe that advances in molecular tools and collaboration between scientists from different fields — physiologists, agronomists, breeders and bioinformaticians — can overcome these barriers.

There is also an ethical imperative: ignoring natural sources of resilience could become unsustainable in the face of the climate crisis and global food insecurity. The proposal fits into the logic of climate-smart agriculture, which seeks more adaptable, diverse and sustainable production systems. For scientists, incorporating weed traits into crops is more than an alternative: it is a necessity.

The idea is reminiscent of the boldness of the first Green Revolution. If successful, this new phase could maintain production in areas already cultivated, preserve ecosystems and increase food stability. It could even allow the expansion of crops to currently marginal areas, with less environmental impact. The domestication of resistant weeds, as an alternative or complement to current crops, also presents itself as a path.

More information at doi.org/10.1111/nph.70224