The gene responsible for drought resistance in barley has been identified by scientists, a discovery which could help future-proof the cereals industry for climate change.

The findings from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland are the culmination of almost five years of work and were recently published in the Journal of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.

The research team demonstrated that gene HvMYB1 controls stress tolerance in cereals such as barley. This is the first time HvMYB1 has been associated with drought resistance.

“This is a significant finding that will allow more drought resistance crops to be bred in the future,” said Dr Peter Morris from the Institute of Earth and Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University who conceived the research idea.

“Drought is already impacting yields with the European cereals harvest hit particularly hard in 2018. A prolonged, dry and hot summer significantly impacted yields and quality.

“As climate change gathers pace and we experience more extreme seasons, it is essential we can maintain continuity of supply. This is significant for key industries like Scotch whisky, one of the UK’s leading export items.

“Our project focused specifically on barley; one of the three ingredients used in the production of Scotch whisky.

“Barley has over 39,000 genes, almost double the number for humans, so characterising one particular gene which promotes drought resistance has been a considerable challenge.

“By increasing the expression of this particular gene in test plants and simulating drought conditions, we’ve been able to prove that plants in which HvMYB1 is more prominently expressed are able to survive prolonged periods of drought.

“Genetic variation is essential in plant breeding for resilience so we expect this research will now be used by plant breeders as a marker for drought resistance. It will help focus attention on different barley varieties in which this gene is naturally expressed more prominently.

“This may lead to greater variation in the gene pool of crop plants and more drought resistant crops in future years.

“This also has important implications for the wider cereals industry including the production of wheat, maize and rice.”