In Pursuit of Salt-Tolerant Wheat

Scientists at the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO) are challenged to develop salt-tolerant wheat varieties that can withstand the saline conditions of Australia’s vast dryland cropping belt. The scientists have discovered two genes, known as Nax1 and Nax2, that exclude salt from different parts of the plant – one from the roots, the other from the leaves. The two genes originated from Einkorn (Triticum monococcum), a Persian ancestor of wheat, and are not normally present in modern wheat varieties. However, they were unintentionally bred into a durum wheat line about 35 years ago during a stem rust research project. Initial paddock trials showed that the varieties containing the “ancient wheat genes” had improved tolerance to salt, but were not as productive as other durum varieties. CSIRO researchers have overcome this problem and the latest varieties now perform well both in yield and salt-tolerance.

Read the complete article at http://www.csiro.au/files/files/pf9k.pdf.