Resilient wheat stalks interwoven with sea wheatgrass growing in a barren landscape.

Super Wheat: How Sea Wheatgrass Could Revolutionize Crop Resistance

Nico Varela in Climate & Environment December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Scientists develop a hardy wheat hybrid by crossing it with sea wheatgrass, unlocking resistance to pests, diseases, and harsh environmental conditions."

Wheat, a staple food for billions, faces increasing threats from climate change, diseases, and pests. These challenges impact crop yields and food security, demanding innovative solutions to enhance wheat's resilience.

One promising approach involves tapping into the genetic diversity of wild relatives. Sea wheatgrass (Thinopyrum junceiforme), a hardy coastal plant, has emerged as a potential source of valuable traits for wheat improvement. Sea wheatgrass possesses natural resistance to various stresses, making it an ideal candidate for crossbreeding.

Recent research has successfully developed a stable wheat-sea wheatgrass hybrid, known as an amphiploid. This breakthrough allows scientists to study and utilize sea wheatgrass genes to bolster wheat's defenses against environmental stresses and diseases. This article explores the development, characteristics, and potential of this super wheat.

Why is This Hybrid Such a Game-Changer?

Resilient wheat stalks interwoven with sea wheatgrass growing in a barren landscape.

The new wheat-sea wheatgrass amphiploid, named 13G819, exhibits a range of desirable traits. Molecular analysis confirms that 13G819 combines the complete genetic material of both wheat and sea wheatgrass. This is a significant achievement, as it creates a stable platform for incorporating the wild relative's beneficial genes into cultivated wheat.

Researchers put the amphiploid through rigorous testing, exposing it to various environmental stressors and common wheat diseases. The results were striking. Compared to standard wheat, the hybrid displayed:

High tolerance to waterlogging: It can withstand prolonged periods of soil saturation.
Resistance to manganese toxicity and salinity: It thrives in soils with high salt or manganese concentrations.
Tolerance to low nitrogen conditions: It grows well even when nitrogen fertilizer is limited.
Resistance to wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Fusarium head blight (FHB): It effectively fights off these devastating diseases.
Solid stems: This provides resistance to wheat stem sawflies, a major insect pest.

These traits make the sea wheatgrass hybrid a powerful tool for breeders aiming to develop more resilient and sustainable wheat varieties. Its ability to thrive under adverse conditions and resist major diseases could significantly reduce crop losses and the need for chemical inputs.

What's Next for Super Wheat?

While the development of the wheat-sea wheatgrass amphiploid is a major step forward, further research is needed to fully unlock its potential. Scientists are now working to:

Identify specific genes responsible for the desirable traits: This will allow for more precise breeding strategies. Transfer these genes into elite wheat varieties: Ensuring that the beneficial traits are combined with high yield and quality. Develop molecular markers: These markers will help breeders easily track and select for the desired genes in breeding programs.

By integrating sea wheatgrass genes into cultivated wheat, researchers hope to create a new generation of climate-smart crops that can thrive in a changing world. This approach not only enhances food security but also promotes more sustainable agricultural practices.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1007/s00122-018-3205-4, Alternate LINK

Title: Development And Characterization Of Wheat–Sea Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum Junceiforme) Amphiploids For Biotic Stress Resistance And Abiotic Stress Tolerance

Subject: Genetics

Journal: Theoretical and Applied Genetics

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Wanlong Li, Qijun Zhang, Shuwen Wang, Marie A. Langham, Dilkaran Singh, Robert L. Bowden, Steven S. Xu

Published: 2018-10-19

Everything You Need To Know

How does crossing wheat with sea wheatgrass create a more resilient crop?

The key innovation is crossing common wheat with sea wheatgrass (*Thinopyrum junceiforme*) to create a hybrid known as an amphiploid, specifically named 13G819. This amphiploid combines the genetic material of both plants, giving it enhanced resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental stressors compared to standard wheat varieties. This development is crucial due to the increasing challenges faced by wheat production from climate change and various diseases, threatening global food security.

What specific advantages does the wheat-sea wheatgrass hybrid offer over traditional wheat varieties?

The wheat-sea wheatgrass hybrid, 13G819, exhibits several beneficial traits including high tolerance to waterlogging, resistance to manganese toxicity and salinity, tolerance to low nitrogen conditions, resistance to wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Fusarium head blight (FHB), and solid stems which provide resistance to wheat stem sawflies. These traits make the hybrid more resilient in challenging environments and less reliant on chemical inputs, promoting sustainability.

What makes the creation of the wheat-sea wheatgrass amphiploid such an important step in agricultural innovation?

The development of the wheat-sea wheatgrass amphiploid 13G819 is a significant advancement because it creates a stable platform to transfer beneficial genes from sea wheatgrass into cultivated wheat. Sea wheatgrass genes can bolster wheat's defenses against environmental stresses and diseases. This approach leverages the genetic diversity of wild relatives to improve crop resilience, an essential strategy for adapting to changing climate conditions and reducing reliance on chemical inputs.

What are the next steps in developing and deploying this 'super wheat' for widespread use?

While the 13G819 amphiploid shows promise, further research is needed to fully realize its potential. Efforts are focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms of its resistance traits and transferring specific sea wheatgrass genes into elite wheat lines without bringing along undesirable traits. Additionally, field trials in diverse environments are necessary to assess the hybrid's performance and stability under real-world conditions. The goal is to develop commercially viable wheat varieties that incorporate the valuable traits of sea wheatgrass.

In what ways could using the sea wheatgrass hybrid reduce reliance on chemical treatments in wheat farming?

By incorporating traits from sea wheatgrass, the amphiploid 13G819 addresses several critical issues in wheat production. Its enhanced resistance to diseases like wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Fusarium head blight (FHB) reduces the need for fungicides. Similarly, its tolerance to low nitrogen conditions decreases the requirement for nitrogen fertilizers, mitigating environmental impacts. Furthermore, resistance to pests like wheat stem sawflies lowers the need for insecticides, promoting a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to agriculture. Also, it offers a buffer against climate change-induced challenges, thus stabilizing wheat supplies across different geography and weather conditions.