VOA慢速英語: 科學家根據基因遺傳數據，發(fā)現更美味的西紅柿和更飽滿的稻米(雙語)
Tastier Tomato, Tougher Rice Sought From Genetic Data
科學家根據基因遺傳數據，發(fā)現更美味的西紅柿和更飽滿的稻米
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語農業(yè)報道。
Scientists have discovered the genetic secrets of two unpopular members of two favorite food families. They hope the discoveries will produce tastier tomatoes and stronger rice.
科學家們發(fā)現了人們最喜歡的兩種食物家族中兩個不常見成員的遺傳奧秘。他們希望這些發(fā)現能夠生產出更美味的西紅柿和更飽滿的稻米。
The scientists discovered the complete set of genetic rules of African rice and wild tomatoes. They published their studies in two reports in the journal Nature Genetics.
科學家們發(fā)現非洲稻和野生西紅柿的完整遺傳規(guī)律。他們的研究結果被發(fā)表在《自然遺傳學》雜志的兩篇報道中。
There are good reasons African rice and wild tomatoes have not been popular. Asian rice is more productive and easier to process than African rice. The wild tomato is poisonous.
說非洲稻和野生西紅柿不常見是有很多理由的，因為亞洲稻比非洲稻更多產，而且更容易加工。而且野生西紅柿是有毒的。
Rod Wing is a plant biologist at Arizona State University. He helped map the African rice genes. And there is some good news to report.
羅德·溫是亞利桑那州立大學的植物生物學家，他幫助繪制了非洲水稻基因圖，并且這里還要報道一些好消息。
"There are some varieties that have been kinda well-adapted to grow in kind of mangrove areas, which are quite a bit more salty than you would experience for Asian rice."
“有一些品種已開始有點適應紅樹林地區(qū)的生長環(huán)境，對于亞洲水稻來說，這種土壤環(huán)境太咸了。”
Mr. Wing says African rice can grow in salty and even poisonous soil. And it can grow around weeds and in extremely dry conditions. He says this strength is increasingly important as climate change makes crop production more difficult. He says that this is important because the Earth's population is growing quickly.
溫先生稱，非洲稻可以生長在鹽分多的甚至有毒的土壤中，非洲稻還能生長在雜草中以及極端干旱的環(huán)境中。并稱，隨著氣候變化的越來越惡劣，使得農作物的生長變得越來越困難，所以這種非洲稻的優(yōu)勢也變得越來越重要，因為世界人口正在迅速增長中。
"There's gonna be two-to two-and-a-half-billion more people on the planet in less than 40 years, and that's a pretty scary scenario."
“預計在未來40年內，世界人口將會新增20億到25億人，這是一個相當可怕的場景。”
Scientists will be able to make better rice faster. They can now identify the genes that control what is good about African rice and combine those genes with Asian rice.
科學家們很快就會研發(fā)出更優(yōu)質的稻米品種，他們現在已經能夠識別出使得該非洲稻具有此優(yōu)良品質的基因，并將這些優(yōu)良基因與亞洲稻結合起來。
The wild tomato also has some good qualities. Scientists found that it can grow in salty as well as very dry conditions, like the African rice. Bjorn Usadel of Germany's RWTH Aachen University is one of the scientists who published the genetic maps of the two plants. The map identifies the genes that may be responsible for these qualities.
野生西紅柿也有一些優(yōu)點，科學家們發(fā)現它可以像非洲稻一樣，生長在鹽分較多以及非常干旱的環(huán)境中。德國亞深工業(yè)大學的Bjorn Usadel是公布這兩種植物遺傳圖譜的科學家之一。該圖譜可以確定出那些能夠使它們具有這些優(yōu)良品質的基因。
"The tomatoes are green and potentially there's something inside that's just not healthy; but there's also other interesting things inside."
“這種西紅柿是綠色的，可能里面存在什么不健康的東西，但是里面也有其他一些有趣的東西。”
The new map could also help improve the quality of tomatoes sold in food stores. Many people say these tomatoes do not taste very good. Mr. Usadel says researchers found differences in the genes of wild and farm-grown tomatoes that affect how they taste and smell.
這個遺傳圖譜可以幫助提高食品商店里所出售西紅柿的質量。有很多人稱，這種西紅柿的味道不太好。Usadel先生稱，研究人員發(fā)現野生西紅柿和農田里種植的西紅柿的基因差異是影響味道和氣味的原因。
"So, even though these wild tomatoes definitely don't taste better, this population gives us actually an indication where the taste is coming from."
“因此，盡管這些野生西紅柿吃起來并不好吃，但是實際上這種西紅柿品種給了我們這種味道來自哪里的提示。”
The scientist says there is another use for the map. He says it will permit scientists to make sure that any new kinds of tomatoes developed from wild tomato do not carry any of its poisonous genes.
這位科學家稱，這種遺傳圖譜還有另一個用途，他稱這種西紅柿能使得科學家們確保任何由野生西紅柿研制出的新西紅柿品種，不攜帶任何有毒基因。
And that's the VOA Learning English Agriculture Report. I'm Caty Weaver.
這就是本期美國之音慢速英語農業(yè)報道的全部內容，我是卡蒂·韋弗。
Words in the News
popular - adj. liked by many people; generally approved by the public
favorite - adj. liked more than others ("Ice cream was her favorite food.")
publish - v. to make public something that is written; to include something in a book, newspaper or magazine
climate - n. the normal weather conditions of a place
different - adj. not the same
[page]聽力原文[/page]
Tastier Tomato, Tougher Rice Sought From Genetic Data
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
Scientists have discovered the genetic secrets of two unpopular members of two favorite food families. They hope the discoveries will produce tastier tomatoes and stronger rice.
The scientists discovered the complete set of genetic rules of African rice and wild tomatoes. They published their studies in two reports in the journal Nature Genetics.
There are good reasons African rice and wild tomatoes have not been popular. Asian rice is more productive and easier to process than African rice. The wild tomato is poisonous.
Rod Wing is a plant biologist at Arizona State University. He helped map the African rice genes. And there is some good news to report.
 |
"There are some varieties that have been kinda well-adapted to grow in kind of mangrove areas, which are quite a bit more salty than you would experience for Asian rice."
Mr. Wing says African rice can grow in salty and even poisonous soil. And it can grow around weeds and in extremely dry conditions. He says this strength is increasingly important as climate change makes crop production more difficult. He says that this is important because the Earth's population is growing quickly.
"There's gonna be two-to two-and-a-half-billion more people on the planet in less than 40 years, and that's a pretty scary scenario."
Scientists will be able to make better rice faster. They can now identify the genes that control what is good about African rice and combine those genes with Asian rice.
The wild tomato also has some good qualities. Scientists found that it can grow in salty as well as very dry conditions, like the African rice. Bjorn Usadel of Germany's RWTH Aachen University is one of the scientists who published the genetic maps of the two plants. The map identifies the genes that may be responsible for these qualities.
"The tomatoes are green and potentially there's something inside that's just not healthy; but there's also other interesting things inside."
The new map could also help improve the quality of tomatoes sold in food stores. Many people say these tomatoes do not taste very good. Mr. Usadel says researchers found differences in the genes of wild and farm-grown tomatoes that affect how they taste and smell.
"So, even though these wild tomatoes definitely don't taste better, this population gives us actually an indication where the taste is coming from."
The scientist says there is another use for the map. He says it will permit scientists to make sure that any new kinds of tomatoes developed from wild tomato do not carry any of its poisonous genes.
And that's the VOA Learning English Agriculture Report. I'm Caty Weaver.
Words in the News
popular - adj. liked by many people; generally approved by the public
favorite - adj. liked more than others ("Ice cream was her favorite food.")
publish - v. to make public something that is written; to include something in a book, newspaper or magazine
climate - n. the normal weather conditions of a place
different - adj. not the same
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