Neal explains: "It is certainly early days for this approach, but already we are showing that we can screen-out unsuitable lines early on, preventing breeders wasting investment in them and we are able to view wheat grains in a whole new way. I am hopeful this new approach has real promise to aid nutritious grain development and help answer some of the pressing issues regarding providing more nutritious food from limited productive farmland to feed our increasingly growing population."

Commenting on the research, BBSRC Chief Executive Professor Doug Kell, said: "Food security is a huge challenge for the world. We must not forget that it is not enough to secure enough food for people, we must ensure science helps to deliver enough nutritious food. Research of this type has huge potential both in the UK and abroad and could help to develop products that people want to eat, while increasing their mineral content."

Source: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council