Genetic blueprint of bread wheat genome unveiled, last step before full genome sequence

♤ Scientists from ICAR’s National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB), New Delhi, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, and Delhi University South Campus (DU) in collaboration with International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) have published a chromosome based draft sequence of the bread wheat genome .

♤ The genome's unusual size and form made the sequencing especially difficult for the team. India is entrusted with the responsibility of decoding wheat chromosome ‘2A’, which alone has a genomic DNA code of about 900 million base pairs that is about two and a half times the size of whole rice genome, and about one third of the size of the human genome. The full wheat genome is about six times the size of human genome

♤ The draft provides new insight into the structure, organization, and evolution of the large, complex genome of the world’s most widely grown cereal crop. Decoding the genome will afford ways to boost yield of this staple crop.

♤ The genetic blueprint is an invaluable resource to plant science researchers and breeders of tools enabling them to rapidly locate specific genes on individual wheat chromosomes throughout the genome.

♤ By identifying genes that control traits such as yield, pest resistance, quality, water stress, etc the researchers can produce new generations of wheat with desired qualities. As of today, researchers in the IWGSC estimate that the full genome sequence will be available within three years.