Scientists unveil corn genome

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US researchers have sequenced the corn genome almost in its entirety, a development that could help improve crops to meet growing global needs for food and fuel, a US university has announced.

Corn, also known as maize, is the world's top cereal crop followed by rice and wheat, and the second of those to have its genome sequenced, after rice.

"This first draft of the genome sequence is exciting because it's the first comprehensive glimpse at the blueprint for the corn plant," said Richard Wilson, director of the Genome Sequencing Center at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.

Wilson directed the corn sequencing project, the results of which have been published online at www.maizesequence.org .

He will officially unveil the...