Facts, uncertainties, and opportunities in wheat molecular improvement

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Biotechnology
• Genetics

Background:

• Wheat genetic modification has lagged behind other crops due to consumer acceptance issues and trade barriers.
• The HB4 wheat event, featuring a drought-resistance gene, gained commercial approval in 2020, highlighting recent advancements.
• Modern breeding technologies like genome editing are gaining global regulatory attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework ensuring wheat adoption of modern breeding technologies.
• To address technical challenges in developing transgenic and cisgenic wheat.
• To demystify the risk/reward perception of genetic modification in wheat.

Main Methods:

• Review of technical challenges in creating transgenic and cisgenic wheat varieties.
• Analysis of factors influencing consumer acceptance of genetically modified wheat.
• Examination of data from next-generation sequencing regarding natural gene transfer and mutagenesis.

Main Results:

• The commercialization of early genetically modified wheat events was hindered by market and regulatory barriers.
• Next-generation sequencing provides insights into natural genetic variations and the impact of mutagenesis.
• The potential benefits of advanced breeding techniques for wheat improvement are significant.

Conclusions:

• A proactive framework is needed to prevent wheat from being left behind in adopting advanced breeding technologies.
• Overcoming consumer reluctance requires transparent communication about the risks and rewards of genetic modification.
• Embracing transgenic, cisgenic, and genome editing is crucial for developing climate-resilient wheat to meet global food demands.