description
- Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the UK's most important crop and the world's most widely cultivated cereal. Understanding the genetic make up of crops is essential for achieving increases in sustainable yield, disease resistance and adaptation to changing growing conditions. However this understanding has been lacking in wheat because it has a exceptionally complex genetic make-up. But recently BBSRC scientists have made a breakthrough in analysing the complete genetic make up of wheat. In this project we aim to build on the UK success by accessing the genetic make up of several key wheat varieties important for global agriculture, and to analyse this data to help identify useful genetic variation. This work will be carried out in an international framework that will maximise the benefit of UK research for this globally important crop.