(Yicai Global) March 25 -- Two Chinese scientific research teams have identified the genes that curb corn and rice production, which when expelled can greatly improve yields, and they are applying to patent the technology.

The orthologous gene KRN2 in maize and OsKRN2 in rice have the function of reducing yields, according to the paper published in US academic journal Science today and authored by a team from the China Agricultural University and a team from Huazhong Agricultural University.

Many years of field tests have shown that if these two genes are knocked out, the yields of corn can increase by 10 percent and that of rice by 8 percent without any apparent impact on other agronomic traits, according to the paper entitled, “Convergent Selection of a WD40 Protein that Enhances Grain Yield in maize and rice.”

There is huge potential for its application and some firms have been in contact with the teams with the intention of utilizing the patent, said Yan Jianbing who led the team from Wuhan-based Huazhong Agricultural University.

It is the first time that the two genes were discovered by the scientific circle and as such the two research teams own the intellectual property rights and have applied for international copyright, Yan said.

The research teams are now conducting a larger-scale experiment to test the effect of yield enhancement under different conditions and if this research can be applied to wheat or not, Yan said.

Corn, rice and wheat provide mankind with more than half of its energy intake. Although these crops originate from different areas of the world, corn from Mexico and rice from China, they have followed the same genetic law during evolution. Studying this law can accelerate the crops’ breeding and improvement, Yan said.

Editor: Dou Shicong, Kim Taylor