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Drought tolerance in modern and wild wheat
Hikmet Budak1, Melda Kantar, Kuaybe Yucebilgili Kurtoglu
1Biological Sciences and Bioengineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956 Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey.
Wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) offers valuable drought tolerance genes for improving modern wheat. Research focuses on identifying these genes and pathways to enhance crop resilience and food security.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Drought is a primary threat to global food supply, significantly impacting crop yield.
- Wheat domestication has reduced genetic diversity, diminishing natural drought tolerance.
- Drought tolerance is a complex quantitative trait influenced by developmental stage.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify drought tolerance genes and QTLs in wheat for crop improvement.
- Characterize molecular pathways involved in drought tolerance.
- Explore the potential of wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) for enhancing cultivated wheat drought resistance.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing "omics" studies and QTL mapping to identify candidate drought tolerance loci.
- Molecular characterization and functional confirmation of candidate genes via transgenic studies.
- Field trials and analysis of morphological/physiological traits to assess improved cultivar performance.
Main Results:
- Wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) exhibits high drought tolerance.
- Identification of candidate genes and QTLs associated with drought tolerance.
- Progress in understanding drought-related molecular pathways in wheat.
Conclusions:
- Introgressing drought tolerance loci from wild wheat can enhance modern cultivars.
- Targeted gene identification and functional studies are crucial for improving wheat drought resilience.
- Developing drought-tolerant wheat varieties is essential for stabilizing food production.
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