
Gene Discovery Set to Improve Wheat Yields and Increase Protein Content by Up to 25%
May 18, 2022 |
An international team of researchers from Australia's University of Adelaide and the UK's John Innes Centre has identified a gene that improves wheat yield, which can also lead to increasing the crop's protein content by up to 25 percent.
According to Dr. Scott Boden from the University of Adelaide's School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, little is known about the mechanism behind the drivers of yields and protein content in wheat production. The discovery of the gene that controls the two factors has the potential to generate new wheat varieties with higher grain quality. “The genetic variation we identified provides a 15-25 percent increase in protein content for plants grown in the field. These varieties also produce extra spikelets, known as paired spikelets,” said Dr. Boden.
The researchers expect that the new wheat varieties will be available to breeders in 2–3 years' time, which could then translate to benefits for farmers in 7–10 years' time.
For more details, read the team's findings in Science Advances, or the news article in The University of Adelaide Newsroom.
|
You might also like:
- Researchers Discover Imbalanced Expression of Genes Help Improve Wheat Yield
- UC Davis Team Identifies Wheat Gene that Increases Yield
- Scientists Decode the Genetic Basis of Floret Fertility in Wheat
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Gene Drive Organisms: There is No One Size Fits All
- Gene Discovery Set to Improve Wheat Yields and Increase Protein Content by Up to 25%
- New Gene That Can Increase Yield in Wheat Identified by US Scientists
- Scientists Grow Plants in Soil from the Moon for the First Time
- China to Approve More GM Maize Varieties - Agri Ministry
-
Research Highlights
- Structure of Plant Immunity Protein Revealed 25 Years After Discovery
- API5 Enhances Virus Resistance in Potatoes
- Experts Boost Anthocyanin Content of Radish Sprouts
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (April 16, 2025)
- Gene Editing Supplement (April 16, 2025)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet