Water scarcity boosts wheat starch production, potentially increasing food security.
The study looked at how wheat grains develop starch under different watering conditions. They studied two wheat types with different gluten levels in two locations. They found that when there was less water, the wheat plants made more starch early on, but less later. The enzymes that help make starch were more active in the plants with less water. This means that when wheat plants don't get enough water, they work harder to make starch, which is important for the plant to grow.