Scientists close to cracking wheat's genetic code

Scientists believe they have found a way to map the hugely complex genetic code of wheat, the staple food for 35 percent of the world's population.

The move could lead to improved crop varieties that are resistant to drought and disease at a time when surging demand has stoked fears over future grain supply, sending prices soaring to record highs earlier this year.

French scientists said on Thursday they had constructed a map of the largest wheat chromosome, chromosome 3B, and demonstrated it should be possible to sequence the plant's entire genetic code.

Whole article on "sciencedaily":[http://greenbio.checkbiotech.org/news/2008-10-03/Scientists_close_to_cracking_wheats_genetic_code/]