Researchers at Monsanto and elsewhere are working quietly on the next potential breakthrough in agriculture: drought-resistant crops, which are meant to help farmers cope in an increasingly water-scarce world.

ECONOMIST: Genetically modified foods keep on growing

The question at the heart of the case was how to apply a judicially created doctrine that originated in the 19th century to 21st-century innovations like drought- and insect-resistant crops, which require hundreds millions of dollars to develop but which can be readily copied millions of times because they consist of genetic or other easily replicable material.

FORBES: Connect

Although it is true that drought-resistant seeds will be needed as will low-chill fruit trees and root crops they are not likely to come from genetic engineering.

ECONOMIST: Letters