Genetic Improvements in Wheat

Researchers in China have accomplished the genome sequencing of the wheat A subgenome, and have developed a high-quality draft of its chromosomes that could promote genetic improvements in cultivated wheat. They have created an amazing molecular map of 7 chromosomes of the wheat A subgenome and identified 41,507 protein-coding genes that provide high-quality genomic information.

Researchers in China have completed the genome sequencing of the wheat A subgenome, and have developed a high-quality draft of its chromosomes that could promote genetic improvements in cultivated wheat. This amazing study which was done by researchers at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology was published in the journal “Nature” on Thursday. The researchers state that “the sequencing will help improve competitiveness in the wheat industry, safeguard food security, and boost the quality and efficiency as well as sustainable development of agriculture.”

They have created an amazing molecular map of seven chromosomes of the wheat A subgenome and identified 41,507 protein-coding genes that provide high-quality genomic information and a new perspective for studying genetic variation in wheat. They are three know genomes in commonly cultivated wheat: A, B and D. These are known to be large and very complex, approximately 40 times bigger than rice genomes.  

More than 85 percent of the genome DNA of wheat is repetitive which is makes the study of its genome sequencing extremely difficult and complicated. Wheat is considered to be one of the most important crops in the world and China produces about 130 million tonnes on 24 million hectares each year.