Wheat genome map may lead to high-yield varieties

Scientists can soon study evolution of the grain

Three Indian research institutes are members of an international consortium that mapped the genome of bread wheat, a major scientific achievement, which may lead to faster development of improved wheat varieties with better yield in future.

The near complete genome map of wheat, with more than 1,20,000 genes, would offer scientists a new window to study the genetic process involved in wheat evolution and grain development.

“The new information from this study can speed up the wheat improvement programme from the current level of 10-12 years to perhaps 2-4 years,” Jane Rogers, deputy executive director of International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, which did the mapping, told Deccan Herald.

Punjab Agriculture University in Ludhiana, National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB) in Delhi and Delhi University’s South Campus were part of this milestone research. “We joined the programme in 2009-10 and our responsibility was to sequence the chromosome no 2A. The entire work is funded by the department of biotechnology and would aid in developing several new varieties of wheat,” said T R Sharma, director of the NRCPB. Bread wheat has 21 pairs of chromosomes.Even though it is one of the staple food source for 30 per cent of global population, wheat production fell by 5.5 per cent between 2000 and 2008 because of erratic climate.

In five of the past 10 years, worldwide wheat production was not sufficient to meet the demand, compelling the researchers to explore new option for developing wheat varieties that would give more yield and withstand the vagaries of climate.

With the global population projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, wheat researchers and breeders are facing the challenge of enhancing wheat production by about 70 per cent to meet future demands. Concurrently, growers are facing rising fertiliser costs, weather extremes and declining annual yield.

“India has a target of producing 5 tonnes of wheat per hectare on an average besides coming out with climate-resilient varieties. The sequencing would help by identifying the genes that can be targeted for those tasks,” said Indu Sharmawho heads Indian Council of Agriculture Research’s Directorate of Wheat Research in Karnal.