Unlocking the full reproductive potential for hybrid wheat breeding

在全球范围内，小麦作为一种自交自育作物种植，其产量增长在过去几十年中停滞不前。这与水稻和玉米通过杂交育种和异花授粉实现的产量增长和产量稳定形成鲜明对比。小麦杂交品种有可能提高10-22%的产量，但由于种子生产成本高、小麦的花结构和差的异交特性，商业应用受到限制。该项目旨在通过提高小麦雌性对空气花粉的接受度来降低成本，这是全球杂交商业实现的主要瓶颈。在气候不确定性和人口不断增长的情况下，小麦杂交品种更高、更稳定的产量将确保粮食安全。

Globally, wheat is cultivated as an inbred self-fertile crop with yield gains stagnating over the last decades. This contrasts with unabated yield gains and yield stability achieved for rice and corn through hybrid breeding and cross-pollination. Wheat hybrids hold potential for a 10-22% yield boost, but commercial deployment is restricted due to high seed production costs, a result of wheat’s floral architecture and poor outcrossing characteristics. This project aims to reduce costs by improving wheat’s female receptivity to airborne pollen, a major bottleneck to commercial realization of hybrids globally. Higher and more stable yields from wheat hybrids will ensure food security in the face of climate uncertainty and growing population.