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The genome sequence and its analysis of the diploid wild wheat Triticum urartu (progenitor of the wheat A genome) represent a tool for studying the complex, polyploid wheat genomes and should be a valuable resource for the genetic improvement of wheat.

Cassava is a major source of food in tropical and subtropical regions. Here the authors sequence the genomes of wild and domesticated cassava varieties and identify genes that have been selected for and against during the evolution and domestication of this economically important crop.

Wheat stem rust is a devastating fungal disease, especially since the emergence of the virulent Ug99 lineage. An efficient resistance gene, encoding a CC–NB–LRR, is identified in a highly diverse locus of rye, and is effective against Ug99.

Exploring the diversity of the wild progenitor of the wheat D subgenome allows for rapid trait discovery.

Powdery mildew is a major threat to world wheat yields. Here the authors describe the map-based cloning of Pm24, a gain-of-function powdery mildew resistance allele that encodes a tandem kinase-pseudokinase protein with a deletion in a kinase ___domain that is endemic to certain wheat landraces.

Stripe rust is a serious threat to wheat production. Here, the authors reveal that the resistance gene, only present in the wheat progenitor Aegilops tauschii and its derived synthetic wheat, encodes a nucleotide oligomerization ___domain-like receptor and confers resistance in common wheat and barley.

A combination of advanced sequencing and mapping techniques is used to produce a reference genome of Aegilops tauschii, progenitor of the wheat D genome, providing a valuable resource for comparative genetic studies.

Sequencing of the hexaploid bread wheat genome shows that it is highly dynamic, with significant loss of gene family members on polyploidization and domestication, and an abundance of gene fragments.

The genome of the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium), a member of the Pooideae subfamily, is sequenced. The Pooideae are one of three subfamilies of grasses that provide the bulk of human nutrition and may become major sources of renewable energy. Availability of the genome sequence should help establish Brachypodium as a model for developing new energy and food crops.

A draft sequence of the staple crop kabuli chickpea, together with resequencing and analysis of 90 additional lines from 10 countries, provides a resource for breeders.

The dominant male-sterile geneMs2 has facilitated the release of hundreds of wheat-breeding lines and cultivars in China. Here Ni et al. describe the cloning of the Ms2 gene, which appears as an orphan gene in the Triticinae, and show that Ms2 can be used to confer male sterility in wheat, barley and Brachypodium.

Researchers from Hawaii and an international consortium have produced a draft genome assembly for 'SunUp', the first commercial virus-resistant transgenic fruit tree. Comparison of this plant genome to those of Arabidopsis and others sheds light on evolution of characteristics such as biosynthesis, starch deposition, control of photosynthesis and pathways for creating volatile compounds.