Introgressed Variation in TaMYB7-A1 Drives Graded Dormancy and Climate-Adaptive Pre-Harvest Sprouting Resistance in Wheat.
Wang H, Wang D, Guo Y, Zheng Q, Zhang M
Crop Improvement
Soggy weather before harvest can cause wheat grain to sprout right on the stalk, ruining the flour quality in the bread, pasta, and cereals on your grocery store shelf — and this discovery points to a genetic fix that could make those crops far more resilient.
Wheat seeds sometimes sprout too early while still attached to the plant during rainy weather, which damages the grain and makes it unusable for baking. Researchers found a specific gene that acts like a dimmer switch controlling how deeply wheat seeds 'sleep' before they're ready to sprout. By using a stronger version of this gene — borrowed from wild wheat relatives — plant breeders could grow wheat that holds off on sprouting until the farmer is ready to harvest it.
Key Findings
TaMYB7-A1 was identified as a master regulator of seed dormancy by directly activating the ABA signaling gene TaABI5, linking a single transcription factor to a key hormonal pathway that suppresses premature germination.
The superior allele of TaMYB7-A1 was introgressed (introduced) from wild wheat relatives, suggesting modern breeding had access to this beneficial variant through natural diversity rather than lab-based gene editing.
The gene controls a hormonal balance between abscisic acid (which enforces dormancy) and gibberellin (which promotes germination), giving plants a graded, tunable level of sprouting resistance adaptable to different climates.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists identified a gene called TaMYB7-A1 in wheat that controls how deeply seeds sleep before germinating, which determines whether grain sprouts prematurely on the plant before harvest. A superior version of this gene, found in wild wheat relatives, boosts resistance to pre-harvest sprouting by strengthening hormonal signals that keep seeds dormant.
Abstract Preview
Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) poses a major threat to wheat yield and quality, yet the genetic basis of seed dormancy underlying PHS resistance remains poorly understood. Here, through integrated gen...
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