A team of international scientists at CIMMYT ( International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) discovered a way to breed better quality and high yielding wheat variety that could resist disease and adverse climate conditions.
Identifying Chromosomal Regions
The journal Nature Genetics unveils the study in which plant breeders led by Ravi Prakash Singh, a senior scientist at the Mexico-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) have identified certain chromosomal regions in the wheat crop. These chromosomal regions confer traits like high yielding capacity, disease resistance and tolerance to adverse climatic conditions.
Genome Technology
The chromosomal areas have been identified with the help of full wheat genome map published last year.
Philomin Juliana a scientist at CIMMYT, throwing light on the importance of genome technologies said, “Genome-wide marker-based selection can help breeders to precisely identify good lines in early breeding generations and to test plant lets in greenhouses, thereby complementing and streamlining field testing.”
Philomin Juliana, wheat scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
Genomic selection may help in breeding for wheat end-use quality and provide resistance to stem rust disease
Outcomes of the Research
The research would help about 200 different breeding programs world wide that are connected with CIMMYT’s global wheat breeding network. It will also contribute to produce other qualities in varieties sown on half of the world’s wheat fields.
Talking about the outcomes of the research, Juliana said, “The results will speed up global efforts to breed more productive and climate-resilient varieties of bread wheat, a critical crop for world food security that is under threat from rising temperatures, rapidly-evolving fungal pathogens, and more frequent droughts.”
Philomin Juliana, wheat scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
Food Security
Wheat is the staple food for about 2.5 million people across the world. It provides about 20% calories and protein of human diet. It has nutritional value and is affordable to poor people across the world. Therefore, it is evident that wheat can ensure food security.
However, crop diseases, adverse effects of climate change impact the yield of wheat. The new research may help in combating these issues thereby providing solution for food security.
The study records success of global public breeding efforts by CIMMYT which shows enhanced wheat varieties from this research has acquired multiple gene variants that help in producing high yields. The outcomes of the study would be helpful in supporting future gene discovery, molecular breeding and gene editing in wheat.