International scientists from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) have emphasized the importance of utilizing ancient and wild wheat varieties to enhance food security in the Global South, where 1.5 billion people depend on wheat as a staple. Their studies reveal that tapping into the genetic diversity of nearly 800,000 wheat seed samples stored in gene banks can help climate-proof wheat, protect ecosystems, and combat hunger. Although only a small portion of this genetic diversity has been used in modern breeding, it has already led to significant benefits such as increased yields and reduced fungicide use. Disease-resistant wheat varieties, for instance, have saved about one billion liters of fungicide since 2000. The scientists advocate for integrating resilient genes from wild wheat relatives into conventional varieties to address challenges like extreme weather, pests, and diseases, thus ensuring sustainable food security. New technologies, including gene sequencing and big-data analytics, are recommended to further harness this genetic pool.
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https://peopledaily.digital/global-scientists-root-for-ancient-wheat-varieties-to-boost-food-security/
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