Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is classified
into two types, winter and spring. Winter wheat is seeded in the fall,
and over-winters, then resumes growth in early spring and matures in early
summer. Spring wheat is seeded in the early spring and harvested in late
summer to early autumn.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a process that allows a scientist to make a many copies of a gene or DNA fragment, using primers (a short DNA sequence that is complimentary to the gene of study), an enzyme (Taq DNA polymerase) and the bases (Adenine, Thymine, Guanine and Cytosine).
The PCR has been improved to monitor
DNA amplification in real-time. This process has been called Real-Time
PCR. In the mid-1990’s, research showed that fluorescent dyes
(e.g., SYBR green I) could bind to DNA during the PCR process. Thus
as amplification proceeds, emitted fluorescence at each cycle can be
detected. Real-time PCR was used to study gene expression in the two
wheat varieties.