A research team from The University of Queensland has discovered that a key
gene which controls flowering time in wheat and barley crops also directs
plant root growth.

The VRN1 gene, known to regulate flowering in wheat and barley crops, also
plays a role in the plant's ability to respond to gravity, thereby directing
root growth and determining the overall shape of the root system.

"A particular variant of VRN1 in barley, known as the Morex allele,
simultaneously induced early flowering and maintained a 'steep, cheap and
deep' root system," Project leader Dr. Lee Hickey from Queensland Alliance
for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) said. He also said that the
discovery was a major breakthrough in understanding root development and
could boost food security by allowing researchers to breed crops better
adapted to a range of environments.

[www.uq.edu.au]-
food-security