b'S T R A T E G Y A featured segment designed to help you in the realm of retail seed sales. From Gene Edited Wheat to Intelligent BreedingCanola and soybean might often steal the spotlight, but genetic ground being broken in cereals crops is just as significant.By Marc Zienkiewicz, Seed World Canada Senior EditorYIELD IN WHEAT ISa multifaceted trait, influ-enced by various genetic fac-tors. Adele Jamalzei is a Ph.D. student in plant breeding and genetics at Washington State University and is at the fore-front of vital research aimed at enhancing wheat yield to meet the growing global demand for food. One of the significant challenges we face is the com-pensatory effect, Jamalzei notes. Improving one trait, like grain size, can inadvert-ently reduce another, such as grain number. Many previous studies have identified QTLs or genes that enhance grain size, but transferring these to new varieties hasnt alwaysAs the world needs more resilient and productive wheat varieties, scientists are using strategic gene resulted in yield improve- pyramiding and sophisticated technology to understand the phenotypic dynamics of winter wheat ments. This is because plants(such as winter dormancy and spring growth patterns).have a limited amount of resources. When we enhancedrones equipped with RGBcially as the global populationabout the potential for wheat one yield component, it often(red, green, blue) camerascontinues to grow, particularlyresearch to transform agricul-detracts from another.to capture traits that haventin regions where agriculture istural practices. Her research combinesbeen recorded by droneslimited.In the next decade, we will genetic strategies, high- beforespecifically, countingThe pressure is on plantwitness a significant shift in throughput phenotyping, andthe spikes of wheat in the fieldbreeders to produce morehow we approach breeding. advanced technologies like AIusing deep learning, she says.food with fewer resources.Well see more crops that are and deep learning.Shes training a modelBy developing high-yieldingsmartly bred for both yield Traditionally, many traitsthat annotates each imagewheat varieties, shes essen- and sustainability, which will in the field are recordedto identify these traits. Thistially providing farmers withbe essential as we face unpre-manually, with people walkingway, her team can automati- the tools they need to increasedictable growing seasons through the fields to gathercally determine the numbertheir wheat production, evendue to climate change, she data. However, were aimingof spikes in the field withoutin challenging conditions. Thispredicts. to automate this processhaving to walk under the suncould help reduce reliance on using drones. In our lab, weand manually count them.imports in developing coun- Gene Editing Milestones in have various types of drones,I view this research astries, enhancing food security.Wheat and one innovative aspect ofplaying a significant role in theLooking toward theAgriculture and Agri-Food my project involves utilizingfuture of food security, espe- future, Jamalzei is optimisticCanada hit a milestone this 94/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'