A gene discovery in a wheat variety developed at Oklahoma State University (OSU) could mean larger yields for Oklahoma wheat producers. After more than a decade of research, OSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences Dillon and Lois Hodges Professor of wheat molecular genetics and breeding Liuling Yan, has discovered and cloned the TaOGT1 gene in the popular Billings wheat variety.
This newly discovered missing link will enable wheat researchers to fine-tune crop maturity for a specific use: cattle grazing, grain-only, or short-season wheat. The full study on this topic is available online at nature.com. The project was supported by multiple agencies, including USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, read the OSU article.