University of Adelaide plant scientist Jason Able has been working on a project to understand the molecular mechanisms that control chromosome pairing and recombination during meiosis in wheat.

Thiss is part of the reproductive process at the cellular level, which is nature's mechanism for controlling genetic diversity within sexually-reproducing organisms.

Dr Able said his aim was to shift genes of interest from wild relatives of wheat into more user friendly varieties that crop breeders could use in their traditional plant breeding programs.

* Extract from a full report in Stock Journal, August 14 issue.