Scientists from the University of Bath’s Department of Biology & Biochemistry have discovered that it’s possible to maximise both seed size and number.
For some time it has been believed that plants which produce more seeds would produce smaller seeds and vice versa due to genetic trade-offs between these two traits. The research team at Bath studied the genetic basis of naturally occurring variation in seed size and seed number in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, a close relative of oilseed rape.
Using a new tool called Multiparent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) lines, to identify the precise locations on chromosomes of genes that affect size and number of seeds. The study found that the traits of seed size and number can potentially be controlled independently because the genetic factors that control them are located on different parts of the genome.
Dr Paula Kover, Senior Lecturer in Genetics at the University of Bath, explained, “This study shows it’s actually possible to increase both seed size and seed number. These results are very promising, especially for food security. The next step is to narrow and to identify the exact genes involved in seed size and seed number so that we can use breeding techniques to maximise yields.”