Curtis T, Halford N G
Plant Biology and Crop Science Department, Rothamsted Research Harpenden, Hertfordshirex, UK.
Ann Appl Biol. 2014 Jan;164(3):354-372. doi: 10.1111/aab.12108. Epub 2014 Feb 21.
Current wheat yield and consumption is considered in the context of the historical development of wheat, from early domestication through to modern plant breeding, the Green Revolution and wheat's place as one of the world's most productive and important crops in the 21st Century. The need for further improvement in the yield potential of wheat in order to meet current and impending challenges is discussed, including rising consumption and the demand for grain for fuel as well as food. Research on the complex genetics underlying wheat yield is described, including the identification of quantitative trait loci and individual genes, and the prospects of biotechnology playing a role in wheat improvement in the future are discussed. The challenge of preparing wheat to meet the problems of drought, high temperature and increasing carbon dioxide concentration that are anticipated to come about as a result of climate change is also reviewed. Wheat yield must be increased while not compromising food safety, and the emerging problem of processing contaminants is reviewed, focussing in particular on acrylamide, a contaminant that forms from free asparagine and reducing sugars during high temperature cooking and processing. Wheat breeders are strongly encouraged to consider the contaminant issue when breeding for yield.
本文从早期驯化到现代植物育种、绿色革命以及小麦在21世纪作为世界上产量最高且最重要的作物之一的历史发展背景出发，探讨了当前小麦的产量和消费量。文中讨论了为应对当前及未来挑战，进一步提高小麦产量潜力的必要性，这些挑战包括消费量的不断增长以及对粮食和燃料用粮的需求。文章描述了对小麦产量复杂遗传学的研究，包括数量性状位点和单个基因的鉴定，并探讨了生物技术在未来小麦改良中发挥作用的前景。同时还综述了让小麦应对气候变化可能带来的干旱、高温和二氧化碳浓度增加等问题的挑战。在不影响食品安全的前提下必须提高小麦产量，文中还综述了新出现的加工污染物问题，尤其关注丙烯酰胺，它是高温烹饪和加工过程中由游离天冬酰胺和还原糖形成的一种污染物。强烈鼓励小麦育种者在培育高产小麦品种时考虑污染物问题。
