Contact Information: +92-3328752649, Raheela.rehman@uaf.edu.pk

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The Wheat Biotechnology Lab is dedicated to advancing wheat germplasm with higher yields, enhanced nutritional value, and resilience to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Due to recent shifts, Pakistan has gone from being wheat self-sufficient to importing wheat to meet the demands of the growing population. Terminal heat tolerance is a complex trait that adversely affects grain yield and lower concentration of iron and zinc which lead to malnutrition, yet remains relatively unaddressed. Through collaboration with Washington State University, Pullman, USA, facilitated by Dr. Kulvinder Gill, our lab has received valuable wheat germplasm to aid in this mission. Initially, material was introduced and tested at UAF (2021-22) with late sowing in the first week of January for heat screening. Out of 30 shared lines, five lines showed a very tolerant behavior against terminal heat stress when we compared the 100-grain weight and yield of these lines with our local material sown at the same time (Figure 1). Our observations made on this material regarding data and agronomic traits also showed that variation is present which is under trials at different locations of Pakistan for stability and uniformity. Leveraging conventional plant breeding alongside cutting-edge biotechnological tools such as CRISPR-Cas, we are focusing on biofortified, stress-resistant, and climate-resilient wheat lines development. Our key objectives include developing heat stress tolerant, climate-resilient wheat, enhancing yield and quality, and genome editing for improved starch and rust resistance, grain weight, and high zinc and iron contents.

Selected Publications

TITLE :
(1). Raza, M. A., Din, A. M. U., Shah, G. A., Zhiqi, W., Feng, L. Y., Gul, H., Yasin, H. S., Rahman, M. S., Juan, C., Liang, X., Rehman, R., Al Garawi, A. M., van der Werf, W., Qin, R., Xin, L., Khalid, M. H. B., & Zhongming, M. (2024). Legume choice and planting configuration influence intercrop nutrient and yield gains through complementarity and selection effects in legume-based wheat intercropping systems. Agricultural Systems, 220, 104081. Doi
(2). Jin, F., Wang, Z., Zhang, H., Huang, S., Chen, M., Kwame, T.J., Yong, T., Wang, X., Yang, F., Liu, J., Yu, L., Pu, T., Fatima, A., Rahman, R., Yan, Y., Yang, W., Wu, Y. 2024. Quantification of spatial-temporal light interception of crops in different configurations of soybean-maize strip intercropping. Front. Plant Sci. 15:1376687. (IF 6.627, HEC W-category, eISSN: 1664-462X, https: //10.3389/fpls.2024.1376687)
(3). Ali, A., Siddique, A., Rehman, R., Khan, R. A. M., Khan, A. I., Khan, S. H. U., Alsamadany, H., & Ahmed, Z. (2024). Integral Crop for Intensifying Cropping Systems. In Soybean: Volume 1 History, Taxonomy, Genetics, Breeding, Diseases, and Biotechnology. ISBN: 9781998511709 (Hardcover)
(4). Abbas, G., Sarwar, A., Rehman, R., Ahmed, Z., Altaf, J., Hussain, R., Jehangir, K., Aziz, S., Faisal, A., Fatima, A. (2024). Human Cancer Risk due to Heavy Metals in Soil and its Bioaccumulation in Earthworms in Punjab Pakistan. Res. Sq. (HEC Category-Y, eISSN: 2693-5015, doi: https://10.21203/rs.3.rs-3748697/v1)
(5). Nasar, J., Zhao, C. J., Khan, R., Gul, H., Gitari, H., Shao, Z., Abbas, G., Haider, I., Iqbal, Z., Ahmed, W., Rehman, R., Liang, Q. P., Zhou, X. B., & Yang, J. (2023). Maize-soybean intercropping at optimal N fertilization increases the N uptake, N yield and N use efficiency of maize crop by regulating the N assimilatory enzymes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 1077948. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1077948