Explanation for a heading in Wallstreet Journal

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi there,

I have gone thru the following heading in first page of wallstreet journal today.

SEED FIRMS BOLSTER CROPS USING TRAITS OF DISTANT RELATIVES

Initially, I couldn’t understand the sentence as it is. After looking at the meaning for some of the words in my electronic English dictionary, I guessed the meaning is the following. Please advise if this is wrong.

As the article is related to Gene maps, I guess following is the meaning.

By using advanced gene technologies, if we Seeds are made very stronger without deficiencies, then we can make the crop growth stronger and make it to have unique qualities different from same kind of CROPS.

2

Hi mangalakumar

I’d possibly say it this way:

Seed companies are helping ensure better crop yields by adding beneficial genetic qualities, which have been taken from related plants, to the seed.

Maybe somebody else will have another idea. :smiley:

Amy

3

Thank you Yankee…

4

Companies that sell seeds are making farmers’ plants stronger by using (genetic) characteristics of other plants that are not closely related.

5

Amy

Your sentence would be the perfect opening for the story. Sadly, since newspapers insist on using such huge font settings for their headlines, it’s generally difficult to create a grammatically perfect headline when so many variables are present (as is the case in this headline).

You know, if a guy murders his wife, they can use something like, “Timbuktu Man Kills Wife”.

Sometimes headlines aren’t so easy to create.

6

Hi Tom

What I wrote was not intended as a headline. :lol:

I wrote an alternative for mangalakumar’s interpretation of the headline. :wink:

Amy

7

Amy

I just like making rhetorical statements from time to time. hehe

Seriously, though, I wanted the peops to know that I think your sentence is swell.