A wheat pan-genomics platform for enhanced genetic dissection of agronomic traits

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This project aims to develop resources and analytical tools for understanding and exploiting multiple wheat genome sequence assemblies. These have the potential to radically alter both wheat breeding and crop improvement, and also facilitate new areas of research that will lead to improved crops by understanding the contributions of genetic variation and gene function to traits.

We aim to achieve the following objectives that will ensure that the proposed work achieves its maximal impact:

To contribute to developing an international strategy for coordinating future work in wheat pan-genomics;

To establish a network of collaborators and partners for applying outcomes of the research to genomics-led wheat improvement and promoting their uptake by breeders;

To work with technology providers to develop new services and products to support genetic analyses of wheat based on multiple wheat genome assemblies;

To demonstrate and promote the benefits of open access to technologies for generating wheat genomic assemblies, and genetic and genomic data;

To train researchers from industry in the analysis and application of wheat genomics for breeding and technology development;

To engage with the public about the excitement, power and societal impacts of genomics, enabling them to understand how it it applied for crop improvement, and to continue dialog about changes in how crops are produced.

To encourage career development in plant science and genomics by hosting school visits and laboratory placements for school children.

Impacts of International Coordination

We will work with the Wheat Initiative to ensure this project achieves maximum synergies with related international activities, and that BBSRC achieves the best value for money and maximises its contributions to global wheat research.

Impacts for plant breeders and biotechnology companies
Commercial wheat breeders will benefit by (1) Markers diagnostic for linkage between individual genes or small genetic intervals and components of the traits measured on the population, (2) release of all trait and marker data, which can be combined with their own from this and other populations, (3) protocols and software for their own analyses in MAGIC. We will continue in-depth engagement and training of crop breeders in new genomics technologies and quantitative genetic analysis approaches, and prioritise the development of new tools that will facilitate improved breeding. Breeders and other stakeholders will be invited to attend the three dedicated project workshops, during which we will highlight the availability of the project outputs for their own research and breeding. NIAB and JIC are regular contributors to events such as CEREALS: the leading technical event for the UK arable industry. We will ensure that the project is represented there and will attend in person to disseminate information.

Impacts for Growers and the Public
We will engage with growers and the general public to establish a dialog about the potential impacts of genomics on crop production, how it might influence farming, consumers and the environment.
Impacts for technology development companies and services
We work with Illumina and other genomics companies to help develop technologies and services for cheaper, faster and better genetics and genomics analyses for large and complex crop genomes.

Impacts for the crop R&D sector
The size of this project and the disciplines involved, encompassing statistical/quantitative genetics, bioinformatics and genomics will provide opportunities for training of scientific and technical staff in these fields. This will occur on an ad-hoc basis and through the scheduled training courses and workshops. TGAC, NIAB and JIC staff will benefit from exposure to complementary expertise in each other's institutes, encouraging further knowledge and skills exchange, and so helping to promote skills and opportunities within the research sector.