Farmers Review Africa Sept/Oct 2019 Farmers Review Africa September - October 2019 dig | Page 11

NEWS
Research uncovers gene that improves
drought resistance in cereals
A
s climate change is having a devastating
impact on cereal crops, scientists at
Heriot-Watt University have identified a
gene responsible for drought resistance in barley
which is thought to help future-proof the cereals
industry
Publishing the results of nearly five years of
work in the Journal of Plant Physiology and
Biochemistry, the team demonstrated that gene
HvMYB1 controls stress tolerance in cereals
such as barley. This is the first time HvMYB1 has
been associated with drought resistance.
Dr Peter Morris from the Institute of Earth and Life
Sciences at Heriot-Watt University said, “This is
a significant finding that will allow more drought
resistance crops to be bred in the future. Drought
is already impacting yields with the European
cereals harvest hit particularly hard in 2018. A
prolonged, dry and hot summer significantly
impacted yields and quality.”
“As climate change gathers pace and we experience
more extreme seasons, it is essential we can
maintain continuity of supply. This is significant
for major industries like Scotch whisky, one of the
UK’s leading export items. Our project focused
specifically on barley, one of the three ingredients
used in the production of Scotch whisky.”
“Barley has over 39,000 genes, almost double
the number for humans, so characterising
one particular gene which promotes drought
resistance has been a considerable challenge. By
increasing the expression of this particular gene
in test plants and simulating drought conditions,
we’ve been able to prove that plants in which
HvMYB1 is more prominently expressed are able
to survive prolonged periods of drought.”
“Genetic variation is essential in plant breeding
for resilience so we expect this research will now
be used by plant breeders as a marker for drought
resistance. It will help focus attention on different
barley varieties in which this gene is naturally
expressed more prominently. This may lead to
greater variation in the gene pool of crop plants
and more drought-resistant crops in future years.”
Dr Morris added, “This has important implications
for the wider cereals industry including the
production of wheat, maize and rice.”
Dagmar Droogsma, director of industry at the
Scotch Whisky Association, commented, “The
SWA works closely with specialists at Heriot-Watt
University, and others in the sector, to ensure that
the industry is equipped to adapt to any changes
that may arise from a changing climate. We,
therefore, welcome this research which helps to
provide resilience against the effects of climate
change and to sustain the diversity of barley
varieties used for Scotch whisky.”
“Agriculture in Scotland supplies some of the best
grain anywhere in the world, and these recent
findings contribute to an industry-wide programme
of research and development which helps to
maintain Scotch whisky’s competitive edge as
an iconic Scottish product. The Scotch whisky
industry supports 10,000 jobs across Scotland,
and we are proud to have funded this research into
a fundamental element of its supply chain.”
The value of cereals to the UK economy is
significant. In 2018, the value of wheat rose
by US$113.95mn to US$2499.73mn while the
overall value of barley rose by US$101.96mn to
US$1147.91mn as a result of higher prices (up 10
per cent).
The research was funded by the Scotch
Whisky Association, which aims to secure the
sustainability of the Scotch whisky industry,
and Interface, which matches businesses with
Scotland’s world-leading academic expertise.
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