b'worldSTATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe.Scientists in China useSTATUS CHINA when compared to typicalSTATUS GERMANYCRISPR to edit an eliteScientists from China Nationalharvests from todays com- An international team of Rice Research Institute usedmonly used varieties. researchers headed by Chinese rice variety, andCRISPR-Cas9 to edit Semi- Yields in the UK could beProfessor Marja Timmermans researchers in GermanyDwarf1 (SD1) in elite Chineseincreased by half as muchof the Center for Plant create a roadmap of genesrice varieties, which has sev- again. Molecular Biology at the eral desired agronomic traits.The authors say, ifUniversity of Tbingen has in maize. The results are published inachieved, such improve- created a roadmap of genes Scientific Reports. ments would go a long waythat drive plant architecture in Expanding genetic diver- to feeding the growing worldmaize. The team has discov-sity among rice varietiespopulation and would reduceered that the meristem, a is vital to prevent geneticpressure to convert wildsmall structure at the tip of erosion or loss of genetichabitats to farmland. Usingthe plants shoots, has even variation in a crop. Thus, theexisting data on the contri- greater tasks than scientists researchers edited SD1 in thebution of different genes tohad realized. It controls the elite landraces Kasalath andindividual plant traits such asarchitecture of the whole TeTePu, which contain manysize, shape, metabolism andplant from the very tip. desired agronomic traits suchgrowth, the researchers ranThe team mapped the as tolerance to low phospho- simulations to create per- genetic circuits involved in rous and broad-spectrumfect wheat plants that werethese functions in maize and resistance to several diseasestailored to each region. discovered key starting points and insects. Mutations of SD1When compared tofor technological improve-led to shorter plant height forthe performance of locallyment of crops. It has been better resistance to lodging.adapted cultivars, in all casesassumed that the meristem Field trials showed that thethey found wheat varietiesonly decided whether new yield of the mutant lines waswere underperforming forstem cells or organs were to improved compared to thegrain yield, with an obviousbe formed. Timmermans team wild-type progenitors, whilegenetic yield gap betweenhas now precisely described maintaining the desirablereality and possibility. the molecular circuits that agronomic characteristics. The scientists behind theare active in the cells of the Based on the findings,study define a crops geneticmeristem, drawing a roadmap the researchers concludedyield potential as the highestof those circuits and describing that breeding using avail- yield achievable by an ideal- each ones functions.able landraces together withised varietyin other words,Right out at the very tip, genome editing techniquesa plant with a genome thatthe meristem regulates the can prevent genetic erosion inallows it to capture water,plants settings so that each modern rice varieties. sunlight and nutrients moreindividual grows into the opti-efficiently than any other. mal shape for the conditions Wheat is one of the keyit is located in, Timmermans STATUS EU staple crops for global foodsays.European wheat harvestssecurity, providing about 20%Timmermans adds that could be increased by moreof total dietary calories andthey have identified mecha-than 5 tons a hectare accord- protein, and Europe is a majornisms that specifically control ing to newly publishedwheat producer, contributingthe stem cells in maize and research into the cropsaround 35% of global wheathave found that these also untapped genetic potential. production. affect the overall architecture The first of its kind studyIt has been predicted thatof the plant.from Rothamsted Researchglobal food production needs shows that in some Europeanto increase by about 70% by countries the grain yield could2050 to feed an estimated 9STATUS NIGERIAbe increased by up to 90%billion people. The Federal Government of 70/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2020'