World's main crop wheat is genetically decoded

William Atkins
Saturday, 28 August 2010 00:28

Science - Biology

British scientists have finally unraveled the genome (genetic sequence of chromosomal information) for wheat - a structural code that is much more complex than the earlier decoded sequences for corn, rice, and soybeans.

 

One of the lead scientists involved in cracking (decoding) the genetic sequence for wheat is Dr. Neil Hall, a professor from the Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, School of Biological Science at the University of Liverpool.

Dr. Hall states in the Associated Press article 'Scientists: We've cracked wheat's genetic code' the wheat code will serve as "'¦ the reference '” the starting point that new technology and new science can be built upon."

The British scientists state that they had decoded about 95% of the genetic code for a a variety of wheat called Chinese Spring line 42, a laboratory strain of wheat that is not grown commercially.

The AP article also states, 'Wheat is grown across more of the world's farmland than any other cereal, and researchers said Friday they're posting its genetic code on the Internet in the hope that farmers can use it as a tool to improve their harvests.'

And, 'The discovery could also prove handy to genetic engineers.'

With wheat now being decoded, the major food crops have all be[en] decoded, including soybeans earlier in 2010, corn in 2009, and rice in 2005.

Page two adds more on the unraveling of the genetic code of wheat.

NOTE: be[en] corrected, per comment -- author.