Monday, July 28, 2014

Wheat researchers compile genome

An international team of researchers has mapped the wheat genome, opening the door to improved wheat breeding.

“The release of the chromosomal draft of the wheat genome sequence will accelerate gene discovery in wheat, and pave the way for development of tools to improve breeding of complex traits such as yield, insect and disease resistance, and end-use quality,” said Curtis Pozniak of the University of Saskatchewan.

“The chromosome-based draft is a technical tour de force and highlights improvements in sequencing and bioinformatics over the last few years,” said Andrew Sharpe, co-principal investigator for CTAG (Canadian Triticum Advancement through Genomics) and research officer at the Saskatoon labs of the National Research Council.

“The work has provided a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of the wheat genome. However, the full story will only be established with the development of a reference genome sequence,” he said.

The team’s work is published in the current issue of Science.