Scientists involved in the development of nitrogen-fixing wheat believe they now have the necessary foundation of understanding to move on to the next stage. "Entirely possible". That's how Giles Oldroyd of the John Innes Centre, Norwich, describes the prospects for commercial varieties. But the research challenge shouldn't be underestimated, he adds, giving it the same level of technical difficulty as finding a cure for cancer. "There were promises made in the 1980s that proved to be unrealistic," he says. "So it won't be surprising if people are sceptical. But the difference today compared with 20 years ago is that we understand more about mycorrhizal signalling pathways and we are starting to apply our knowledge to cereal crops." Prof Oldroyd doesn't anticipate the release of a commercial product until near 2050, pointing out that it isn't possible to make a fully functional root nodule overnight.
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