This article discusses the new variations seen within wheat and barley genomes respectively, that will allow for the future of agriculture to thrive based on the ability to modify these organisms. The various research groups conducting the projects discuss the difficulty behind these specific genomes is due to their complexity unlike corn or rice, along with the fact that there are various genomic structures that are associated with various traits. The various groups working on the project has allowed for the discovery of hidden genetic variation within these crops, and the research will allow for the production of these next generation crops. The traits discussed allow for various acclimations the plants would not normally have, such as cold resistance, yield, and drought tolerance, and with these additions now these crops may have the ability to keep up with other major crops in terms of production. The reason this is interesting is because while maize is known to already be modified in other various ways to support life in different environments, I did not know that these specific grains were relatively more difficult. It is very interesting to see that while something may appear simple in nature by proxy, it is not and I think the information with regards to these grains specifically will be incredibly helpful for the future of food. With the ability to produce in changing climates, production may not decrease with the changing climate and the article provides a sense of hope in that regard for the future to come.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201125114358.htm
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2961-x
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2947-8
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