A new international study led by researchers from the University of Haifa in collaboration with the University of California (Davis), found for the first time a cluster of genes (OPR III) in common wheat that may provide durability in drought conditions. Prof. Tzion Fahima (Institute of Evolution) headed the UofH research team that identified genes responsible for regulating the length of the roots in bread wheat, which may be significant for culturing drought-resistant types. “Given the importance of wheat for global nutrition, on the one hand, and the fact that global warming is leading to an expansion of arid areas and impairing agricultural crops, on the other, this discovery is highly significant and will allow wheat to be grown in a wider range of climatic conditions,” explained study authors. The discovery was published in the prestigious journalNature Communications. | REA
