Agronomists Find Wheat Varieties Resistant to Enzyme Depletion

Enzyme-mycotic seed depletion (EMSD) is a leading cause of loss in grain crops, destroying up to 60% of the crop. The development of EMSD is associated with adverse weather conditions when an increase in enzyme activity breaks down grain biopolymers into simple sugars and amino acids. Maintaining humidity helps plants deal with EMSD, but developing EMSD resistant crops is a more efficient way.

Research institutes in Russia led by RUDN University have discovered several wheat varieties that are resistant to EMSD. Agronomists from these institutes studied the plant genetic resources at the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, which contains more than a thousand samples of cereals collected annually from 1978 to 2021. Using biochemical methods and radiography, they were able to identify genetic factors that contribute to resistance to EMSD. The team found four varieties of wheat with resistance to EMSD.

For more details, read the article in News Wise.