Scientists create means to increase wheat yield

06/07/05 Scientists at The University of Nottingham are working on what could be a quantum leap in wheat yield — by giving the crop bigger ears.

They are developing new varieties of wheat that combine the best characteristics of British and Mexican types, to boost both the productivity and sustainability of UK agriculture.

The Nottingham team will explore the characteristics of crossing novel Central American varieties of wheat — that have bigger and more fertile ears — with UK varieties that have smaller ears but higher capacities for photosynthesis, the process by which plants use the energy from sunlight for growth.

They are collaborating with the International Centre for Wheat and Maize Improvement (CIMMYT) in Mexico, a relationship strengthened by a recent workshop in Mexico supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

With their CIMMYT colleagues the UK researchers are using a range of techniques, including comparative genetics, developmental biology and plant physiology, to help them to understand what it is that results in the Mexican varieties having bigger ears.

If they can successfully find a way to get UK varieties of wheat to grow with bigger ears then the yield of a crop could potentially be increased in a sustainable way — without the need for extra water or fertiliser.

Professor Michael Holdsworth, Professor of Crop Science at The University of Nottingham, said: “We have evidence that UK wheat plants have the capability from photosynthesis to produce more material than they do at the moment but they are limited by the size of their ears.

“We hope that the research we are doing could lift these limitations and enable traditional crossing between lines so that breeders can produce wheat varieties that would thrive in the British climate but produce much higher yields.”

Official figures for 2003 show that more than 14m tonnes of wheat is produced every year in the UK, and around 1.8 million hectares are planted with the crop.

The collaboration between The University of Nottingham and CIMMYT scientists was strengthened by a workshop in Mexico funded by BBSRC with contributions from the commercial plant breeding sector.

Professor Julia Goodfellow, Chief Executive of BBSRC, said: “Sustainable agriculture is a key aim of BBSRC.

“Research such as this shows how work on the fundamental physiology of a plant could identify the underlying causes of desirable traits, such as larger ears, that could help us to increase yields while reducing the environmental 'footprint' of agriculture.”

BBSRC is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences and the UK's principal funder of basic plant science research.