An international team of scientists has created the most detailed genetic map of the peanut to date, identifying two genes that had previously gone unnoticed. This breakthrough allows for the development of a new dwarf peanut variety that produces more yield. The research was led by the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China and included collaboration with institutions like Murdoch University's Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), and several Chinese agricultural research centers. Their findings were recently published in the journal Nature Genetics. To build the genetic map, the researchers assembled 10 new high-quality genomes and combined them with four existing ones, covering all six cultivated peanut varieties. They also sequenced the DNA of 2,320 different peanut samples collected from 87 countries and regions. This extensive collection includes a large portion of ICRISAT's core germplasm (genetic material used for breeding) and more than half of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's collection, making it one of the most diverse genetic datasets for peanuts ever assembled. The study revealed two significant genes. The first gene influences where flowers form on the plant, which affects the plant's overall shape and how it sets pods (the fruit that contains the peanuts). The second gene is located in a large segment of a chromosome that had swapped places with another chromosome, which explains why it had previously gone undetected. When this gene was silenced, the plant grew shorter and had shorter internodes (the spaces between leaves), which opens the door for developing shorter, more productive peanut plants. Using the new genetic map, the researchers crossed a naturally dwarf peanut with a high-yielding Chinese variety, producing a new line called LuAi-1. This variety is about half the height of its parent but yielded around 20% more in field trials when planted densely. Professor Rajeev Varshney, Director of CCFI and a co-corresponding author of the study, compared the potential impact of dwarf peanut varieties to the success of semi-dwarf wheat and rice during the Green Revolution, which dramatically increased food production. Professor Peter Davies, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Director of the Food Futures Institute, emphasized the importance of this research for smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia, where increased yields can lead to greater food security. Professor Peter Eastwood, Murdoch University's Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, highlighted the university's focus on collaborative and applied research that benefits both people and the environment.