Mutations within the miR172 target site of wheat homoeologs regulate lodicule size and rachis internode length.

Closed fertilization in flowers, or cleistogamy, reduces the risk of fungal infection in Triticeae crops. In barley (), cleistogamy is determined by a single recessive gene, , which results from a single nucleotide polymorphism within the microRNA172 target site of the () transcription factor gene. The recessive allele negatively regulates the development of lodicules, keeping florets closed at anthesis.

The DNA 'comet assay' as a rapid screening technique to control irradiated food.

The exposure of food to ionizing radiation is being progressively used in many countries to inactivate food pathogens, to eradicate pests, and to extend shelf-life, thereby contributing to a safer and more plentiful food supply. To ensure free consumer choice, irradiated food will be labelled as such, and to enforce labelling, analytical methods to detect the irradiation treatment in the food product itself are desirable. In particular, there is a need for simple and rapid screening methods for the control of irradiated food.