UC Berkeley plant biologists Peggy Lemaux and Yuechun Wan have introduced viral genes into barley to help the plant resist barley yellow dwarf virus. The virus, ranked among the most problematic barley diseases, weakens plants and lowers crop yields.

The researchers published the first article describing the successful barley gene insertion technique, which they developed at the Plant Gene Expression Center in Albany, in the January issue of Plant Physiology.

Federal permits have been issued for field tests to be held this summer in California, Idaho and Illinois.