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Researchers at the University of Liverpool are currently studying the growth mechanisms of tropical crops on Madagascar under harsh environmental conditions. The jade hanging plant (Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi) is a very special plant; it can absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide during cold and humid nights, which allows it to utilize water 10 times more efficiently than major crops such as wheat. Scientists use DNA sequencing to analyze the genetic composition of plants, in order to study how these plants carry out these functions at night. Researchers began this study when farms around the world used for growing crops such as rice and wheat were taken over by plants used to produce alternative fuels like bioethanol. Scientists believe that the discovery of new genes in the jade bells could provide a model for modifying energy crops to grow on unsuitable farmland and semi-arid lands. Dr. James Hartwell, a biologist, said, “There are many reasons for the current food shortage, and the use of farmland for biofuels is one of them.” According to the predictions of the climate change **advisory group, the areas affected by drought will continue to expand in the future; therefore, there is an even greater need for new types of crops that can grow in deserts. “The jade chime plant is a type of plant that can thrive in harsh environments. If we can understand the mechanism by which it carries out photosynthesis with very little water, we can use its genes to create energy crops that can adapt to harsh environments, thereby resolving the conflict over land between biofuels and food production. The University of Liverpool is one of two universities in the UK that possess this advanced sequencing technology; it is capable of reading 500 million DNA codes within a few hours, whereas conventional technologies can only read 500,000 codes. The research team plans to publish the sequenced genomic data online to share it with botanists around the world. This research was funded by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.