The genetic sequence of wheat has now been decoded, allowing scientists a chance to study the blueprint of life for the vital grain. The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium published the chromosome-based draft sequence for the plant.

Kansas State researchers were among the investigators who worked on recognizing the genetic sequence, and publishing the results.

Wheat covers 531 million acres of land, on farms around the world, producing 700 million tons of food anually. It is a highly-versatile crop, especially when ground into flour.

Shotgun sequencing was utilized to make the chromosome-based draft sequence of wheat's genetic code. This technique divides the genome into chromosomes, which are further broken down into smaller pieces. These were analyzed by short gene sequences and then "re-assembled" using computers.

Studying the genetic sequence of plants can provide a great deal of information about a species. This information could be used to develop new strains of the crop, which can be designed to be more weather-resistant, or increase crop yields.

"The wheat genome only has 21 chromosomes, but each chromosome is very big and therefore quite complicated. The largest chromosome, 3B, has nearly 800 million letters in its genetic code... So trying to sequence this chromosome - and this genome - end-to-end is an extremely complicated task," Eduard Akhunov of the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, said.

The full genome sequence will be available in around three years, according to researchers. The current research will make it easier for scientists to recognize the genes responsible for traits such as yield, disease resistance and tolerance to drought conditions.

Common wheat is estimated to have around 124,000 genes, with a genome seven times larger than cord and 40 times more than rice. Each of those grains have already been sequenced. Even the human genome is only 20 percent the size of wheat.

"Bread wheat is a major crop. It is the most widely grown crop around the world and is a staple food for one third of the human population. However, its genome is so complex that it has always been perceived as impossible to sequence," Frédéric Choulet, a plant genomicist from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, told the press.

The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium was formed in 2005, consisting of wheat farmers, scientists and breeders. Investigation of the genetic sequence of wheat was funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, managed by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Four articles on the sequencing of the genetic code of wheat were published in the journal Science.