A recent study successfully mapped the genetic sequence of wheat for the first time.

Researchers from the University of California Davis led by Prof. Jorge Dubcovsky used wheat for bread as the subject of the study. The team developed a draft sequence that will serve as a guide in mapping large chromosomes.

"With the draft gene sequence for each of the bread wheat chromosome and the first reference sequence of chromosome 3B, we have reached a great milestone in our roadmap," said Catherine Feuillet, IWGSC co-chair. "We know now the way forward to obtain a reference sequence for the 20 remaining chromosomes and we hopefully will be able to find the resources to achieve this in the next three years."

The results of this study could help expedite the current process of identifying genome specific primers, or the starting point of DNA analysis. Scientists usually spend weeks to determine where to begin the genetic map of the subject, but the new genetic blueprint once encoded in a computer simulation will be able to rule out the primer in a few minutes. This will allow scientists to map other subjects and discover more at a genome level.

Farmers will also benefit from the study, as the results of the genetic sequence of bread's wheat can be used to develop better breeding programs, as well as identify genes' roles in the growth of crops. In the future, farmers might be able to grow higher quality, and even pest-resistant plants.

About 75 percent of all U.S. grain products are made of wheat flour. About 42 states in the country plant wheat. According to the U.S. Wheat Associates, production in America is predicted to drop by seven percent this year, while the supply is expected to increase by three percent. If this trend continues, officials must find a way to increase farm production to avoid future shortages.

Further details of the study were published in Science.