‘Whiffy’ wheat hailed as breakthrough in farm pest control

The British advance is described as a “world first” with far-reaching potential for farming.

In future, it may be possible to cut the use of pesticides on plants modified with the gene.

Scientists also say the change made to the wheat is more natural than other forms of genetic modification.

It harnesses one of the plant world’s own defence mechanisms, the ability to ward off pests with pheromone odour signals.

Peppermint produces a smell, undetectable to humans, which mimics an alarm signal generated by aphids when they are attacked by predators.

This helps deter the insects, which suck sugar out of plants and cause global crop damage costing billions of pounds each year.

The British scientists took the peppermint gene responsible and inserted it into the DNA of a spring wheat strain. They ensured the pheromone signal was “pure” so that aphids would recognise it as their own.

Eight test plots of the wheat are now growing at the Rothamsted Research agricultural institute, Herts.

The plots are protected by fences and ditches, both to keep away animals that might damage the plants and anti-GM protesters.

Scientists will watch the plants closely over the summer to see if their performance matches what is predicted by laboratory studies.