Research from the International Barley Hub points to genetic mechanisms that help protect barley from environmental stress and grain skinning.
A new study from the International Barley Hub (IBH), published in New Phytologist, has identified the genetic mechanisms behind specialized surface features that help barley withstand environmental stress and maintain grain quality.
Future-Proofing Scotland’s Predominant Crop
The IBH, part of a £62-million investment through the Tay Cities Region Deal (TRCD), promotes scientific discovery and innovation to future-proof barley, Scotland’s predominant crop. The TRCD is a partnership between local, Scottish and U.K. governments, along with the private, academic and voluntary sectors, according to a press release.
Dr. Sarah McKim, deputy director of the IBH, reader in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee, and corresponding author of the study, explained that plant surfaces are typically coated with a waxy, waterproof barrier known as the cuticle. This barrier protects tissues from water loss, ultraviolet radiation and pest attack. Some plants, however, develop highly specialized versions of this protective layer.
How Barley’s Protective Surface Works
“Our research examined two distinctive cuticular adaptations which barley evolved: a ‘wax bloom’ that appears on elongating tissues during flowering and is also observed in wheat, and a surface that tightly adheres to the grain husk, forming a protective covering essential for grain quality,” McKim said.
The study found that two key genes — BODYGUARD (BGD) and WAX-INDUCER1 (WIN1) — control these traits. When either gene is defective, barley loses both protective features, resulting in grain skinning. This condition, in which the protective husk detaches from the grain, is a major concern for the malting industry, barley’s most valuable end use.
Implications for Drought Tolerance
The findings also have wider implications. Because these protective layers help prevent water loss, they could offer potential pathways to improve drought tolerance in cereal crops.
Genomic Tools Behind the Discovery
The research, carried out in collaboration with the University of Dundee and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), relied on modern genomic tools that allow scientists to read and compare DNA and RNA, identify genetic differences, map genomes, and determine which genes are active in specific tissues.
The study was primarily funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from the Scottish Government, as well as several Ph.D. and summer student scholarships.
