A hundred years ago, a plant scientist named Arthur Watkins embarked on an extraordinary mission. He started collecting wheat samples from all corners of the globe, persistently seeking grain from local markets through British empire consuls and business agents. Today, a century later, Watkins’ efforts are yielding significant results. A collaboration between the UK and China has successfully sequenced the DNA of the 827 varieties of wheat assembled by Watkins at the John Innes Centre near Norwich.
This groundbreaking achievement has unlocked a genetic treasure trove, revealing previously unknown genes that are now being utilized to develop robust wheat varieties with enhanced yields. These new varieties have the potential to contribute to global food security by helping to sustain the increasing world population. Scientists are currently working on creating wheat strains that can thrive in salty soil, resist diseases, and reduce the reliance on nitrogen fertilizers, which are a significant source of carbon emissions.
Simon Griffiths, a geneticist at the John Innes Centre, expressed the significance of this discovery, stating that it will revolutionize our ability to address food production challenges in the face of climate change. Wheat has been a vital staple in human civilizations for centuries, providing a substantial portion of the world’s caloric intake. The cultivation of wheat has played a crucial role in the development of great empires across various regions.
The wheat varieties preserved in the Watkins collection trace back to ancient wild varieties domesticated in the Fertile Crescent 10,000 years ago. These varieties contain valuable genetic diversity that has been lost over time due to the evolution of plant breeding practices. The Watkins collection is instrumental in preserving these lost traits and utilizing them to create wheat varieties that can thrive in current challenging agricultural conditions.
The massive genome of wheat, consisting of 17 billion units of DNA, presented a challenge to scientists seeking to study the genetic diversity within the Watkins collection. Thanks to the collaboration with Chinese researchers, the DNA sequencing of these wheat varieties was made possible, revealing a wealth of genetic variation that is absent in modern wheat varieties. The lost traits found in the Watkins collection are now being explored by plant breeders to develop new wheat varieties that would have been forgotten without Watkins’ foresight.
Arthur Watkins, the visionary behind the wheat collection, had a unique introduction to agriculture during his time serving in World War I. After surviving the war, he became interested in agriculture and began his lifelong mission of collecting wheat samples worldwide. Watkins understood the importance of preserving genetic diversity in wheat varieties, which was often overlooked during the early days of plant breeding.
Griffiths commended Watkins for his forward-thinking approach to agricultural science, emphasizing the critical role he played in safeguarding valuable genetic traits that are now being utilized to address current agricultural challenges. Watkins’ legacy lives on through the genetic goldmine he assembled, providing a beacon of hope for global food security in the face of a changing climate and growing population.
