Wild wheat relative genome unlocks crop potential

Scientists have mapped the genome sequence of a wild wheat relative –shedding light on its genetic diversity and potential use in breeding programmes.

Published in Scientific Data, the research contributes to a growing body of research aimed at safeguarding global wheat production in the face of climate change and emerging plant diseases.

The study was led by Dr Surbhi Grewal, an assistant professor at Nottingham University’s School of Biosciences. It was conducted as part of the Nottingham Wheat Research Centre’s (WRC) ongoing pre-breeding programme.

The researchers produced a high-quality fully-annotated genome assembly and valuable insights into the genetic architecture of Aegilops mutica, a species known for its adaptability to challenging environmental conditions.

Dr Grewal said: “This high-resolution genome assembly represents a significant step forward in our ability to utilise wild relatives for wheat improvement.

“With traits such as wheat rust resistance, as demonstrated in our past studies, present in Aegilops mutica, this resource opens new possibilities for enhancing the resilience of modern wheat.”

Beneficial traits

The Nottingham Wheat Research Centre has been developing wheat-Aegilops mutica introgression lines for more than a decade – aiming to transfer beneficial traits from this wild species into cultivated wheat.

These efforts have laid the foundation for identifying and integrating novel genetic diversity into wheat breeding programmes.

It follows the team’s publication of the genome assembly of Triticum timopheevii, another wheat wild relative.

The research employs wheat chromosome-specific molecular markers and advanced genomic tools to track introgressions from wild relatives into breeding lines.

Researchers are focusing  on traits that enhance stress tolerance and disease resistance, explains Dr Grewal.

The newly assembled genome will greatly enhance the identification of these beneficial traits, she adds. This will allow wheat breeders to transfer them into their elite breeding material and efficiently track beneficial introgressions.