JERUSALEM, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers discovered a gene from ancient wild wheat that can make modern wheat grains larger and improve their nutritional value, Tel Aviv University said in a statement on Sunday.
In their study, published in Plant, Cell & Environment, the researchers found that reducing the gene's activity produced heavier wheat grains with higher levels of protein, iron and zinc.
The gene was identified in wild emmer wheat, an ancient ancestor of modern wheat that contains a wider range of genetic traits than today's cultivated varieties.
The team analyzed about 460 wild wheat lines collected from different climate regions in Israel and used genetic analysis and CRISPR technology, a gene-editing tool, to confirm the gene's role in grain development.
The researchers said wild wheat remains an important source of genetic information that could help agriculture adapt to climate change and growing global food demands, adding that the discovery could help develop future wheat varieties with higher yields and better nutritional quality. ■
