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World Landmine News
Landmine detecting plants developed in Alberta - CBC News
Canadian researchers are making headway in developing genetically modified plants they hope might help locate landmines.
Teams from the University of Alberta, North Carolina's Duke University and other schools are working on the project.
U of A Biologist Michael Deyholos says the team at Duke was able to genetically modify a plant to make it able to detect the presence of TNT.
"Plants are not naturally able to detect TNT, so the big question [was] whether something could be made to detect TNT," Deyholos said. "That has now been solved."
The researchers now want to develop plants that would change colour if their roots detect compounds such as TNT in the soil.
Deyholos says a feasibility study shows developing such a plant and sowing the seeds would be inexpensive and could be done in the next two to three years.
The United Nations says nations like Afghanistan have as many as 15 million landmines scattered across the country.
The project is sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies.
Posted: Monday, May 8, 2006
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