Wheat: Yield-increasing enzymes discovered

Botanists at Lancaster University, Rothamsted Research, and The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre researched a naturally occurring plant enzyme known as Rubisco, in a bid to explore its photosynthesis-boosting abilities and crop yield potentials.

As part of a landmark research carried out in January, the team measured photosynthesis in 25 genotypes of wheat–including wild relatives of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum)–and found variation exists even among closely related genotypes.

Each type was surveyed to identify superior Rubisco enzymes for improving photosynthesis.

Two of the most efficient were Rubisco from plants known as Aegilops cylindrica and Hordeum vulgare (barley), which both showed promising Rubisco catalytic properties that should be explored in the context of improving photosynthesis, and ultimately grain yield in wheat.

Models suggest that incorporating the new enzymes into wheat could increase photosynthesis by up to 20 per cent under some field conditions.

Wheat is a crucial source of food, providing more than 20 per cent of the calories consumed worldwide. And with projections that the world population will rise to over nine billion by the year 2050, there is increasing pressure to meet global demand for food.

Nigeria’s domestic wheat production is small, at a meagre 70,000 tons.

The crop is mainly grown in the northern states of Bornu, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, Adamawa, Sokoto and Kebbi, where wheat is known by the local name, “Alikama”

Wheat is a winter crop grown only during the cold season for maximum yield. The wheat grown in Nigeria is hard wheat, according to a research scientist at the Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri, Dr. Oluwasina Olabanji.

He reportedly said, “The wheat we are cultivating is not indigenous wheat; it is the exotic varieties. Our materials come from ICARDA and CIMMYT through germplasm exchange. We evaluated these materials and they were bred for tropical climates. They are heat-tolerant.

“Generally, there are two types of wheat; the bread wheat used for making bread and the durum wheat used for noodles, biscuits and confectioneries. The latter has lower gluten, a kind of protein.”

According to him, the average grain yield for wheat in the country is above 2 tonnes per hectare. Research has however shown that this can be tripled if proper varieties and crop management is adopted.