Transgenic cereals: Current status and future prospects

Abstract

This review summarises the history of transgenic (GM) cereals, principally maize, and then focuses on the scientific literature published in the last two years. It describes the production of GM cereals with modified traits, divided into input traits and output traits. The first category includes herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, and resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses; the second includes altered grains for starch, protein or nutrient quality, the use of cereals for the production of high value medical or other products, and the generation of plants with improved efficiency of biofuel production. Using data from field trial and patent databases the review considers the diversity of GM lines being tested for possible future development. It also summarises the dichotomy of response to GM products in various countries, describes the basis for the varied public acceptability of such products, and assesses the development of novel breeding techniques in the light of current GM regulatory procedures.

Silicon availability modifies nutrient use efficiency and content, C:N:P stoichiometry, and productivity of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

“…Besides perennial species of the Poacae family, which are constituting large proportions of the world’s pasture areas, cereals are playing an important role in terrestrial Si cycling20. They are the most prevalent group of crops across the world, with wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) being one of the most widely grown crops, covering more than 20% of the global cultivated area2122. Even though it is not generally regarded as an essential element for plant nutrition, Si is known to accumulate in concentrations of up to 4% (w/w) in wheat straw, which is comparable to essential plant macronutrients18.…”

Split-gene system for hybrid wheat seed production

“…However, whether the prospects of the split-gene system will be translated into commercial hybrid wheat breeding and products in the future remains open. Ultimately, the successful realization of any genetically modified organism-based technology for agriculture will depend on industrial and consumer acceptance and on international trade regulations (37). Despite these issues, we hope that the split-gene system described here will be a valuable future contribution to unblocking bottlenecks associated with hybrid wheat breeding.…”

Engineering for disease resistance: persistent obstacles clouding tangible opportunities

“…Considering the global importance of the crop, it is not surprising that wheat has been the focus of several programmes to generate cultivars resistant to diseases such as powdery mildew, take all, and the mycotoxin producting Fusarium spp (reviewed in (59) ). The severity of rust epidemics on global wheat producing zones is real with the wheat stem rust strain Ug99 considered to be a threat to over 90% of the world's wheat crop (60) .…”