In a discovery with far-reaching implications for global food security, University of Maryland researchers have pinpointed the gene responsible for a rare but powerful trait in wheat: the ability to grow three ovaries per flower, instead of the typical single ovary. Each ovary can develop into a grain, meaning tripling the grain potential per flower could drastically improve yields across wheat-growing regions.

The breakthrough centers on a gene called WUSCHEL-D1 (WUS-D1), which is usually dormant in standard wheat varieties. Scientists found that in a naturally occurring wheat mutant, this gene was "switched on" during early flower development. This activation enlarges the tissues responsible for building the flower and allows it to generate extra pistils or ovaries.

"Pinpointing the genetic basis of this trait offers a path for breeders to incorporate it into new wheat varieties," said Vijay Tiwari, associate professor of Plant Sciences at UMD and co-author of the study. "By employing a gene editing toolkit, we can now focus on further improving this trait for enhancing wheat yield. This discovery provides an exciting route to develop cost-effective hybrid wheat."

The team at UMD created a detailed genomic map of the multi-ovary wheat and compared it to standard varieties to isolate the role of WUS-D1. The potential for even modest gains in kernel count per spike is massive-especially when scaled to global wheat acreage.

Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops on Earth, grown in over 120 countries and feeding billions of people daily. But increasing yields has become a growing challenge due to climate change, limited farmland, and soaring input costs. Traditional breeding approaches have hit a ceiling in many regions.

This genetic discovery may offer a way forward without requiring additional land, water, or fertilizer. It also opens the possibility of applying similar multi-ovary traits to other cereal crops, which could further amplify the global food supply.

As the world population continues to climb and demand for staple grains intensifies, tools like WUS-D1 activation could become vital in closing the yield gap. If widely adopted, this innovation could reshape the future of precision agriculture and wheat breeding-offering a powerful solution to one of agriculture's most pressing challenges.