Create drought-resistant, high-yield wheat varieties

Scientists from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (Mexico) have created wheat varieties that produce more than 50% of their yields in drought conditions.

If the temperature increases by 2 degrees Celsius, wheat production in warm countries like India and Pakistan will drop by 15% ( Photo: AP )

To create the drought-tolerant wheat varieties, researchers first created synthetic wheat varieties from emmer wheat and goat grass. Later, they fed synthetic wheat to normal wheat.

This technique was developed 15 years ago and is beginning to show value. The reason is that drought, climate change and disease are threatening wheat - a crop that provides a major food source for 2 billion people.

According to breeder Richard Trethowan, the new varieties of wheat look ugly but carry precious genes. They continue to grow in very dry and hot places. Drought tolerance trait is taken from goat grass.

In addition, the Center produces wheat varieties with other precious traits, such as having a 50% higher iron content and 80% higher zinc than regular wheat.

Minh Son