Wheat Gene Mutation Could Boost Yields by Up to 10%

Scientists at the University of Idaho have discovered a naturally occurring wheat gene mutation that could boost yields by up to 10%. The mutation, associated with later flowering and more spikelets, was identified in several high-yielding wheat lines.

The research team, led by wheat breeder Jianli Chen, used molecular markers to identify the genetic change, which is a nucleotide deletion. This deletion enables breeders to screen wheat lines for the beneficial mutation using a lower-cost genomic screening method.

Chen's programme has developed a 4,000-SNP platform that can predict yield and related characteristics with similar accuracy as a larger platform containing about 90,000 SNPs. The streamlined approach reduces testing costs by around $60 per sample.