Already a project is underway at IRRI, Manila to produce C 4 Rice by transfer of genes from topical Maize germ-plasm. Can we not adopt a similar strategy to produce C 4 wheat by transferring genes from Winter Maize?
Dear Pardeep Kumar,
Remember that C4 plants only do better in situations that photorespiration is a problem. In temperate region it is not the case so if you produce a C4 wheat it would have less yield compared to C3 one! That is because C4 pathway has a need for extra ATP, so it benefits the plant only when there is a real problem of photorespiration.
In case of rice as it is produced mainly in warmer climates it may be an advantage.
Hello Dear
In addition of gene transfer, one of the most important reason of success in production C4 rice is finding wild species relationship to rice that are C4. However there is no any near species to wheat that be C4. On the other hand the number of chromosomes and ploidy level are higher than in wheat in contrast to rice. Therefore C4 production in wheat is very difficult, however these studies were started in Symmit.
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