HB4 Wheat facts for kids

HB4 wheat is a special type of wheat. It has been changed using genes from a sunflower plant. This helps it grow better and produce more food. Wheat, corn, and soybeans are very important foods around the world. Scientists work hard to help these crops grow even better. In the 1990s, new technologies helped grow enough food for everyone.

How HB4 Wheat Was Created

In 2004, a scientist named Dr. Raquel Chan and her team worked with a company called Bioceres. They created a special genetic design. Years later, this design led to HB4 wheat, also known as "genetically modified wheat".

HB4 wheat is made using genetic engineering. This means scientists carefully change its genes. It's special because it can handle very dry weather, like a drought. The goal was to make wheat seeds that could survive dry spells for longer. This helps the plants stay strong, grow well, and produce more grain even when there isn't much water.

What Makes HB4 Wheat Special

The HB4 gene put into wheat comes from a sunflower. This gene makes a special protein called HAHB4. This protein is like a switch that turns other genes on or off in the wheat plant.

The HAHB4 protein helps the wheat plant deal with stress from the environment, especially drought. When there isn't enough water, this protein helps the plant delay a process called senescence. Senescence is when a plant starts to get old and die. By delaying this, HB4 wheat can wait longer for water to return, giving it a better chance to survive and grow. It helps the plant use its natural protection systems better when water is scarce.

HB4 Around the World

HB4 wheat was made to handle droughts. This helps farmers grow more wheat even in dry places. This special wheat has been approved for use in several countries:

• Argentina in 2020
• Brazil in 2021
• United States in 2022
• Australia and New Zealand in 2022
• Nigeria in 2022
• Colombia in 2022

The History of Wheat

Wheat is a very old plant that has changed a lot over time. Long ago, different types of wild grasses naturally mixed together. This created the wheat we know today, like common wheat and durum wheat.

Humans have also played a big part in how wheat has changed. When people started farming instead of just hunting and gathering, they began to grow wheat. They chose the best wheat plants to grow more of, slowly changing wheat to fit their needs. This means that the story of humans and wheat has been connected for a very long time.

Over the years, scientists have found new ways to improve wheat. In 1873, a scientist named Wilson crossed rye and wheat to create a new grain called triticale. Later, Norman Borlaug, known as the father of the second Green Revolution, developed new types of wheat that could grow well even in tough environments.

In the 1980s, new ways to change genes were discovered. This led to the creation of the first genetically modified wheat. Wheat was the last of the three most important grains (corn, rice, and wheat) to be genetically modified. This happened in the 1990s. Even though it's a very important food, some people have been slow to accept genetically modified wheat.