Scientists Uncover Gene with Potential to Triple Wheat Yields

to develop into a grain, indicating that this genetic trait could exponentially increase the number of kernels per wheat spike, offering a compelling strategy to meet rising food demands without expanding agricultural land. This remarkable attribute of multi-ovary production was first observed in a spontaneously arising wheat variant, challenging the long-held biological norm. To unravel the genetic foundation underpinning this novel trait, the UMD team embarked on an extensive comparative genomic analysis. Their meticulous efforts led to the identification of the WUSCHEL-D1 (WUS-D1) gene as the pivotal factor. In regular wheat, WUS-D1 remains largely inactive during early floral development, but in the mutant variant, this gene is switched on, fundamentally altering flower morphogenesis. Activation of WUS-D1 early in flower development profoundly influences the proliferation of meristematic tissue—the undifferentiated cells responsible for organ formation. This upregulation ...