Scientists unveil genetic blueprint of bread wheat

WASHINGTON, July 18 (Xinhua): An international team of scientists yesterday unveiled a draft genome sequence of bread wheat, also known as common wheat, a scientific advancement that could help develop more productive or resistant wheat varieties.
Rich in protein, carbohydrates and minerals, bread wheat is one of the world's most important cereal grain crops, serving as the staple food source for 30 per cent of the human population.  The large, repetitive nature of the bread wheat genome, however, has made generating such a sequence difficult.
In a paper published in the US journal Science, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC), a group established in 2005 by wheat growers, plant scientists, and public and private breeders, presented a chromosome-based draft sequence of the bread wheat genome, by focusing their work on a cultivated wheat variety called Chinese Spring.
The researchers said the draft sequence allowed them to pinpoint the location of more than 120,000 genes, many of which relate to traits important to agriculture like grain quality, pest resistance, or abiotic stress tolerance.
"The genetic blueprint is an invaluable resource to plant science researchers and breeders," the IWGSC said in a statement.