New tools to breed cereal crops that survive flooding

Scientists at The University of Nottingham hope new research could lead to the introduction of cereal crops better able to tolerate flooding. They have identified the mechanism used by plants in stress conditions to sense low oxygen levels and used advanced breeding techniques to reduce yield loss in barley in water-logged conditions. Previously Michael Holdsworth, Professor of Crop Science in the School of Biosciences , and colleagues, identified the mechanism used by plants in stress conditions to sense low oxygen levels. This initial breakthrough was published in the prestigious academic journal Nature in October 2011. Now Professor Holdsworth and his team, including first author Dr Guillermina Mendiondo, have discovered how this works in barley. Professor Holdsworth said: "We now know how to breed barley cultivars more tolerant to waterlogging and flooding." The latest development has been published in Plant Biotechnology Journa l. Across the world farmers are falling victim to the increasing frequency of catastrophic flooding events. Plants starved of oxygen cannot survive flooding for long periods of time.