SCOTTISH scientists have made a world-first breakthrough that could help feed the world by developing a “next generation” barley seed which inherits disease-resistant qualities from its parent plant. A research team from the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) has discovered a technique that for the first time allows barley – the fourth most important cereal crop grown across the globe – to pre-arm its seeds against attack in a process that may be passed on to subsequent crops.

The new weapon against agricultural pests will mean that farmers do not have to use so much pesticide, thus cutting costs and reducing the amount of chemicals entering the food chain. The breakthrough is initially expected to help the Scottish barley industry, which supplies distillers with one of the main ingredients of whisky. But the research team hopes that similar benefits will be conferred on wheat, maize and rice as the technique is developed further and help prevent the loss of important food crops at an early stage in their life cycle.