by PressBASF innovates in wheat breeding
Innovations in wheat breeding will increase grain production
Seed market leader BASF2, a German corporation, is innovating in wheat breeding. Thus the producer intends to meet the growing needs of the world agricultural market.
Experts believe that the main task today is to increase the production of wheat. The demand for crops is growing rapidly, and measures must be taken to increase yields. According to forecasts, within 10 years, the world population will grow by 2 billion people. Increasing numbers require more food, primarily wheat, which is needed about 50% more than is currently available on the market.
From the 1960s through the 1980s, the increase in grain yields was at 3%. Over the past 30 years, however, that rate has declined by nearly half. Therefore, the problem of increasing wheat productivity is extremely urgent for producers and requires serious study.
Limitations to sustainable yield growth have been climate change, as well as a reduction in arable land. In addition, the number of middle-class people in the world who prefer healthy food and products rich in carbohydrates is increasing.
BASF believes that the solution to the problem will be the use of grain hybrids. For this purpose, the producer presented a new modified wheat variety Ideltis, developed by the method of cross-pollination of two parental forms. Thanks to this mechanism, scientists combine genes that are resistant to various diseases; in addition, it helps increase the yield and nutrient content of the grain.
The new hybrid has a good sprouting rate and is also better adapted to stress and weather conditions. Innovations in genotyping and phenotyping were used for the Ideltis variety, which makes it possible to produce more successful wheat from a commercial point of view.
Many countries are involved in the development of hybrid grain, thus they want to increase competitiveness in the global agricultural market. For example, a research center in Russia deals with new technologies that improve the selection of soft wheat. The laboratory is working on gene editing to make them more resistant to fungal diseases. Special attention is being paid to increasing nutrient and protein content. Several varieties are already being tested in different regions of Russia, including in the harsh conditions of northern regions. New hybrids show excellent results, but so far they cannot be used on an industrial scale. However, in the near future, scientists plan to start using the varieties for sowing large areas.
In addition to Russia, modified wheat is being developed in the United States, Australia, Europe, and other countries. China is also creating resistant varieties of grain for sowing in harsh climatic conditions.