DFW - Designing Future Wheat - Work package 2 (WP2) - Added value and resilience

Lead Research Organisation: Rothamsted Research
Department Name: UNLISTED

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Technical Summary

Food and nutrition security requires safe access to affordable and nutritious food supplies. WP2 aims to enhance grain quality for human health, combat non-communicable diet-related diseases and improve the resilience of wheat production systems to biotic stresses. It addresses two topics, with shared objectives across DFW and other RRes, JIC, EI, Quadram and NIAB programmes. Both exploit previous BBSRC investments in germplasm resources and the latest genomic developments, to understand and manipulate the genes and pathways defining wheat grain composition and host resistance/susceptibility to pathogens/pests. WP2 researchers will dissect a range of traits exploiting the germplasm and other resources developed within DFW. These traits include resistance to a range of pathogens and pests (including rusts, Zymoseptoria, Fusarium, take-all, mildew, eyespot and aphids) and finally the quantity and quality of starch, dietary fibre and minerals in grain

Planned Impact

unavailable

Publications

10 25 50
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Acevedo-Garcia J (2017) mlo-based powdery mildew resistance in hexaploid bread wheat generated by a non-transgenic TILLING approach. in Plant biotechnology journal

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Adamski N (2019) A roadmap for gene functional characterisation in wheat

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Adamski N (2020) A roadmap for gene functional characterisation in crops with large genomes: Lessons from polyploid wheat in eLife

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Al Zadjali M (2023) Characterising the Influence of First-Year Wheat Cultivar on Pseudomonas Selection and Function in a Take-All Infected Field in Crops

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Alshammari N (2021) Effect of Intake of Food Hydrocolloids of Bacterial Origin on the Glycemic Response in Humans: Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis in Nutrients

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Aradottir GI (2017) Searching for wheat resistance to aphids and wheat bulb fly in the historical Watkins and Gediflux wheat collections. in The Annals of applied biology

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Armer V (2023) The trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol facilitates cell-to-cell invasion during wheat-tissue colonisation by Fusarium graminearum

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Armer VJ (2024) The trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol facilitates cell-to-cell invasion during wheat-tissue colonization by Fusarium graminearum. in Molecular plant pathology

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Azhar MR (2019) Wheat sample affects growth performance and the apparent metabolisable energy value for broiler chickens. in British poultry science

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Baenziger P (2022) A stealth health approach to dietary fibre in Nature Food

 
Title Effector discover timeline, HIGS, BSMV-VOX and protein-protein interactions 
Description The VCU team at Rothamsted Research was commissioned to provide the following artwork to improve knowledge transfer to less specialist audiences - A timeline showing the progression of filamentous plant pathogen effector prediction and identification from the pregenomic era to the present day. - A simplified version of how host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) is thought works in plants - A simplified version of how the transient Barley Stripe Mosaic Virus - protein overexpression - BSMV-VOX technology works in plants - A simplified version of three different protein-protein interaction techniques. This artwork has already appeared in the review article by Kanja and Hammond-Kosack (2020) Proteinaceous effector discovery and characterization in filamentous plant pathogens. Molecular Plant Pathology 21, 1353-1376 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2020 
Impact This artwork will be used in future scientific outreach activities to non-specialist audiences . 
URL https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12980
 
Title Take-all disease of Cereal Crops 
Description A 15 min video on the problems causes in wheat and other cereal crops caused by Take-all root disease. Then the video goes on to describe two new methods to control Take-all using either crop genetics or a taxonomically related soil dwelling antagonistic fungus that could potentially be applied as a seed coating or in row liquid application at drilling. 
Type Of Art Film/Video/Animation 
Year Produced 2020 
Impact This video and two accompanying posters are used to raise the awareness of the farming community and the water industry to the take-all root disease problem and its negative environmental impacts. 
 
Title Take-all disease of Cereal Crops 
Description The VCU department at Rothamsted was commissioned to provide artwork to illustrate the following four topics - The cascading direct and indirect consequences of Take-all root disease. - The Take-all fungus root infection process. - The Take-all fungus life cycle. - Conceptualisation of the effects of the low and high Take-all inoculum build up trait on disease incidence and crop yields in 1st and 2nd wheat crops This artwork will 1st appear in a review entitled - Take-all disease: New insights into an important wheat root pathogen - to appear in the August 2021 issue of Trends in Plant Sciences. We anticipate using these new artworks in various poster displays and scientific outreach articles in the future. 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2020 
Impact This new artwork has greatly increased our ability to engage and successfully communicate with farmers, the AgIndustry and Water companies. For most of these sectors the risk associated with take-all disease are not known and incorrect practices can result in lower yield wheat crops as well as the risk of water eutrophication. 
 
Description 2018 entry

• DFW WP2 researchers have generated one cross-institutional publication which has been published in Nature Genetics
• During the year, we have provided BBSRC Swindon office with a google.doc site, which lists all our DFW outputs (including data access sites, germplasm generated, datasets generated, publications, and public engagement activities as they occur). This document is updated by us on a regular basis.
• All the objectives during the DFW reporting period have been met, and many exceeded.
• All the committees within DFW are up and running including the key data coordination task force (DCTF) and Breeder's toolkit committees, both with WP2 representation.
• Breeders toolkit committee recently at Bayer with eight other breeders to agree germplasm exchange between DFW researchers and the private
• Rothamsted have shown that mutant lines developed by QBI/JIC with increased resistant starch also have higher contents of dietary fibre components: these could also contribute to reduced glycaemic load (obj. 2.1.4 and obj 2.1.5).
• In collaboration with Rothamsted, QBI have measured arabinoxylan and ß-glucan fibre in durum wheat TILLING mutants to determine pleiotropic effects of SBEII mutations conferring enhanced resistant starch (obj. 2.1.4 and obj 2.1.5). We are now working with Rothamsted to measure fibre components in samples of semolina pudding made with SBEII mutants from our human intervention study focused on glycemic response.
• In collaboration with JIC, Rothamsted have identified a major QTL for high arabinoxylan fibre in the high fibre Chinese wheat cultivar Yumai 34, and identified tightly linked SNP markers which have been validated using high fibre lines developed in a Hungarian breeding programme. We have also shown that even higher levels of fibre can be obtained by combining this QTL with a second QTL from the French wheat Valoris (obj2.1.4).
• In collaboration with the JIC, Rothamsted have screened the population of sequenced EMS mutants and a collection of Ae. tauschii accessions for resistance against two aphid species. In both cases we have identified potentially novel sources of resistance and we are now performing the genetics to identify causal genes underlying these resistance responses. (obj 2.2.1 and 2.2.2).
• In collaboration with scientists at INRA and JIC, Rothamsted lead on the isolation of the wheat gene Stb6 that confers resistance to the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici, produced, has been published in a high-ranking journal (Saintenac et al 2018 Nature Genetics). Cloning Stb6 opened an opportunity for new research to gain deeper understanding of disease resistance mechanisms operating in wheat against this important pathogen, which in the long term should help to develop new successful disease control strategies. (obj 2.2.2)
• In collaboration with scientists in the non-vertebrate team at EMBL-EBI, Rothamsted lead the further refinement of the gene predictions and annotation of the Fusarium graminearum (PH-1) genome. Version 5.0 was released via ENSEMBL in June 2017 (version 36) (obj 2.2.6).
• Comparative analyses of historic wheats (dating back over 200 years) done at Rothamsted have shown that intensive plant breeding has not resulted in reduced levels of dietary fibre in wheat flour.
• The expression patterns of zinc transporters in developing grain have been characterised and comparative studies of their expression in high zinc lines from CIMMYT and control wheat lines have been initiated.
• The role of volatile organic compounds on aphid attraction to susceptible and resistant ancestral wheat lines (Triticum monococcum) with and without prior aphid infestation have been tested in bioassays, showing differing behaviour and avoidance of the resistant lines. We are now working to identify the underlying chemistry responsible for the aphid responses (obj 2.5j-k)
• A collaborative project between Rothamsted, the innovation centre CHAP based at Rothamsted and Leo Crespo at CIMMYT (done within the DFW, but with additional funding from a BBSRC Impact Accelerator Award) has used multispectral imaging in an effort to develop an image based phenotyping method. Initial results show that aphids and the virus being transmit can be detected using imaging (obj 2.8g).
• Preliminary investigations have been done at Rothamsted to study the role of leaf morphology on aphid settling and feeding behaviour, this data is awaiting analysis (obj 2.5l)
• Rothamsted has demonstrated that a previously uncharacterised fungal Type 2 glycosyltransferase plays a critical role in wheat disease caused by both Zymoseptoria tritici and Fusarium graminearum, by enabling hyphal extension on solid (i.e. plant) surfaces (King et al. 2017 PLoS Pathogens) (obj 2.2.3).
• Rothamsted have developed a new Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV)-derived vector for transient overexpression of proteins, including small fungal secreted effector proteins as well as large up to 600 amino acids long proteins, in wheat and maize leaves. This opens a wide range of applications where an easy and rapid method of heterologous protein expression in monocots is needed. For example, the new vector may be used in screens for cell-death activity of secreted or cytosolic candidate pathogen effectors in wheat, maize or other monocot crops or model species, or in screens for proteins with putative insecticide or antifungal activities (obj 2.2.2 and 2.2.8).
• Rothamsted identified through a detailed temporal and spatial F. graminearum transcriptomics analysis, the specific secondary metabolite clusters and effector genes expressed during the early symptomless phase of wheat spike infection (Brown et al. 2017 Molecular Plant Pathology) (obj2.2.2).

2019 entry

During the year, we have provided BBSRC Swindon office with a google.doc site, which lists all our DFW outputs (including data access sites, germplasm generated, datasets generated, publications, and public engagement activities as they occur). This document is updated by us on a regular basis. All the objectives during the DFW reporting period have been met, and many exceeded. All the committees within DFW are running well including the key data coordination task force (DCTF) and Breeder's toolkit committees, both with WP2 representation. Within WP2.1 there was one joint publication with the Quadram Institute on improving wheat as a source of iron and zinc for global nutrition. The is an ongoing collaboration Simon Griffiths at JIC (WP3) investigating the Watkins x Paragon RILS and for QTL analysis for various quality / health promoting traits. Within WP2.2 one joint Nature article was published involving JIC / Rothamsted scientists as part of a multinational collaboration on the fully sequenced wheat genome, three new JIC / Rothamsted collaborative projects were initiated, and one collaboration started in 2017 has continued. A new collaboration between the Earlham Institute and Rothamsted commenced in 2018.

WP2.1

• Analyses of four populations (2 DH and 2 RIL) from crosses of cultivars with the high fibre wheat cultivar Yumai 34 have been analysed for viscosity of aqueous extracts of wholemeal flour (as a proxy for water-soluble arabinoxylan) and three of these for total arabinoxylan in white flour. This identified a major QTL for high fibre on chromosome 1B, and the establishment of a marker for this. The marker was validated by analysis of advanced high fibre breeding lines selected by conventional biochemical screening. The second parent of one of the populations (Valoris) also had high fibre and analysis of the progeny showed transgressive segregation for fibre content with a second major QTL from Valoris on chromosome 6B. In the Yumai x Valoris: RNA seq has been used to identify possible candidate genes for the high fibre trait and exome capture to prioritise candidates. TILLING lines will be selected to determine whether the selected candidates do causally effect the high fibre trait.

• In order to determine whether the grain fibre content has been affected by wheat breeding a series of 39 "heritage" wheat cultivars dating back over 250 years has been grown in replicated field trials for 3 years. Analysis of white flour for total arabinoxylan showed no relationship between the date of release and fibre content. The heritage wheat cultivars, from the 3-year replicated field trial have now been analysed for polar metabolites and mineral content.

• Continuing collaborations with QIB: As with the semolina samples from QBI/JIC mutant starch lines, the pudding samples developed for the pilot intervention trial (with ICL) have also been shown to have increased levels of arabinoxylan and ?-glucan at Rothamsted

• High fibre Watkins lines (identified at RRES) have been developed into Watkins x Paragon populations (by the JIC, WP3) to identify novel high fibre QTL ( supported by "FIBRAXFUN").


• Additionally, and working towards combining QTL (collaboration with WP3) using the high fibre and high iron traits identified in the Watkins collection.

WP2.2

Septoria resistance
• Rothamsted have screened a portion of the wheat Paragon gamma-irradiated population developed at JIC (Paul Nicholson/Robert Koebner) and identified a number of lines showing noticeably reduced susceptibility to Septoria leaf blotch (STB). As this mutant population has been skim sequenced this will allow rapid identification of chromosomal regions contributing to this important trait.
• Rothamsted have developed a new EMS mutagenised population in the background of wheat Taichung 29, genotype that is most highly susceptible to STB. Screening of a portion of this population have already identified a number of mutant families displaying substantially reduced susceptibility to STB. We are now working to characterise these genetically.
• Our recent isolation of the wheat Stb6 gene for resistance to STB along with results from recent studies by others in maize and rice identified Wall Associated Kinases (WAKs) as emerging important players in plant immunity. To follow on this lead, Rothamsted carried out genome wide analysis of the WAK gene family in wheat (Chinese Spring), which identified, annotated and manually curated 601 gene family members and revealed clustered organisation and sub-telomeric location of WAKs in the wheat genome. These features are shared between WAKs and the already well recognised and investigated NLR class of intracellular disease resistance genes. This data has been published in the highest ranking journal as part of the multinational collaborative wheat genome study led by IWGSC (doi: 10.1126/science.aar7191) with associated press releases globally. The bioinformatic and phylogenetic analysis of this very large WAK family is now continuing in a new collaboration between Rothamsted and JIC (Kanyuka and Uauy).
• In collaboration with INRA, Rothamsted leads on the study that has determined the physical intervals in the wheat genome hosting 22 major genes and QTLs for resistance to STB that were previously defined genetically, and identified that 18 of these intervals contained WAK genes. Some of these WAKs, are now considered to be candidate STB resistance genes. These will be functionally analysed in a follow-on study using a combination of VIGS and classic genetic approaches.
• Rothamsted have generated mutant wheat (Cadenza) lines carrying CRISPR/Cas-induced indels in the STB6 and BAK1-2 loci. Both stb6 and bak1 lines will now be phenotyped for resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici and other fungal wheat pathogens. Once the loss-of-function phenotype of stb6 lines is confirmed, they will be used for transcriptome studies.

Pathogen virulence
• Rothamsted have identified a key requirement for the synthesis of the amino acid Lysine to enable the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici to cause Septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease on wheat leaves. Mutated forms of the fungus which are unable to make this amino acid cannot cause infections, which also suggests that the plant does not offer sufficient Lysine to the fungus, to enable its pathogenic growth in leaves (Derbyshire et al., 2018 Sci Reports).
• Rothamsted have developed a rapid screening system which allows identification of mutant forms of the wheat pathogenic fungus, Z. tritici, which have defects in the cell wall which surrounds its infectious spores. Importantly these cell wall mutants are also unable to cause Septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease on leaves. We are in the process of finding which mutated genes are responsible for this failure, through sequencing the entire genomes of the first batch of mutant fungi (15 strains), and comparing them to the genome of the normal pathogenic form.
• Rothamsted previously demonstrated a critical role for a previously uncharacterised fungal Type 2 glycosyltransferase played in both Zymoseptoria tritici and Fusarium graminearum, in hyphal extension on solid (i.e. plant) surfaces (obj 2.2.3). UV treatment of the GT2 mutant in F. graminearum led to the recovery of several faster growing revertants. These mutants have been purified and nominated for full genome sequencing at the Earlham Institute to compare their genomes with the original WT strain.
• A new collaboration between Rothamsted and JIC (Paul Nicholson group) started in 2018 has led to the deletion of a F. graminearum candidate gene implicated in the production of signalling compound ethylene.
• A new JIC-Rothamsted collaboration (Uauy and Kanyuka) started in 2018 is using the FoMV protein expression vector system to explore the function of predicted yellow rust effectors.
• Two Pathogen-Host-Interaction database releases in May and Nov 2018 (www.phi-base.org). An additional 431 research papers were curated and made available online that described an additional 1308 genes and their phenotypes. In 2018, PHI-base was accessed online by 13,836 users. The database was downloaded 636 times for bioinformatics studies. The resource was used and cited in 25 new peer reviewed publications. All the new PHI-base data entries were included in annotated genome releases of both the ENSEMBL and FungalDB (https://fungidb.org/fungidb/) databases, thereby continuing to maintain the extended global reach of PHI-base.

Plant root heath
• Rothamsted have identified several chromosomal regions conferring resistance to take-all disease in the Paragon x Watkins 777 mapping population. We are exploring their consistency across multiple field seasons and have nominated them for inclusion in the DFW Breeders toolkit.
• New long term continuous wheat cultivar field trials started at Rothamsted in 2014 provide evidence that there is a significant effect of wheat cultivar on take-all epidemic development, root function and yield resilience. Take-all isolates have been collected from the field experiments to allow a spatio-temporal analysis of take-all populations in collaboration with Mark McMullan from the Earlham Institute.
• A collaborative project between Rothamsted and the Innovate UK funded centre for Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), has evaluated the use of imaging technologies for quantifying fungal wheat root colonisation and disease symptoms. Initial results were very positive and this is being future investigated within a new UoN -DTP studentship project (T. Chancellor).

Pathogen adaption and genome evolution
• Isolated and confirmed (by ITS) take-all from Rothamsted long term grassland experiments for genomic comparison to agricultural take-all collected from long term field experiments (Mark McMullen (EI) in collaboration with Vanessa McMillan at RRes- New collaboration)
• The genome of the saprophytic Quorn fungus (Fusarium venenatum) was fully sequenced, assembled, annotated and compared to the genome of its close plant pathogenic relative Fusarium graminearum (King et al (2018) BMC Genomics). The two genomes are remarkably syntenic. The most striking differences were found to be in their respective repertoire of predicted small secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMC) and secreted proteins /effectors. Fifteen putative secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMC); 109 secreted proteins and 38 candidate effectors were identified that are present in F. graminearum but not F. venenatum. Many of the F. graminearum specific SMCs and predicted secreted proteins were found to be in planta induced and are therefore implicated in virulence.
• At Rothamsted, the F. graminearum pangenome was completed using data from 24 sequence isolates predominately from Brazil and North America. The pangenome is predicted to contain 14,798 genes, whilst the core genome contains 13,000 genes, i.e. genes found in all isolates. In total, 653 genes were found in one or more strains but not in the global reference PH-1 genome. The secretome is predicted to be encoded by 902 genes, of which 784 genes represent the core. Within the predicted effector subset, 161 genes were assigned to the core and 35 to the variable. Also predicted in the pan-genome was the presence of 9 new secondary metabolites cluster not found in the PH-1 genome.
• At Rothamsted, the assembly and annotation of the sequenced Fusarium culmorum genome was completed for the historic isolate UK99 (DON/3-ADON chemotype). The four chromosome genome is highly syntenic with that of F. graminearum. However, UK99 contains a 5th small chromosome ~ 1.91 Mb in length, with a lower gene density and higher percentage of transposons / repeat elements. Full or partial genome sequence information available for two other historic UK isolates, a Korean isolate and an Australian isolate of F. culmorum indicate that some of these other isolates could contain a different 5th chromosome. To explore the similarities and differences in pathogenicity requirements between F. graminearum and F. culmorum, six genes coding for different transcription factor previously shown to be specifically required by F. graminearum for virulence toward wheat heads (and no other phenotype assayed) have also been deleted singly in the F. culmorum isolate UK99. The phenotyping of each of the single gene deleted lines is ongoing using a range of in planta and in vitro bioassays. These functional analyses should reveal whether the two most important two Fusarium species globally, that cause wheat head blight disease in hotter (Fg) and cooler (Fc) climatic conditions regulate in similar or dissimilar ways the required virulence pathways and networks.

Aphid - wheat interactions
• We have discovered a resistance trait to a cereal aphid in a line from the Cadenza TILLING population via phenotyping. We have created a mapping population and are working with JIC and Bristol to identify the mutations conferring the resistance.
• Results from laboratory bioassays and from three years of field trials have identified wheat landraces that show resistance against cereal aphids. These results have been presented to breeders and two lines have been accepted for inclusion in the DFW breeder's toolkit in February 2019.
• Within DFW and with uplift grants, including a new collaboration between Rothamsted and the Innovate UK funded centre for Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), we are working on a novel technology for remote detection of aphids. Laboratory experiments with wheat and two cereal aphid species have provided the first evidence that spectral signatures can be used to rapidly and cheaply detect aphid damage in crops, as well as resulting viral infections. These results demonstrate that the effect is systemic, increasing the likelihood that the same approach can be used in the field, either tractor mounted or via a drone.

2020 entry
• DFW researchers across multiple WPs including WP2 have generated one cross-institutional publication which is soon to be published in eLIFE
• During the year, we have provided BBSRC Swindon office with a google.doc site, which lists all our DFW outputs (including data access sites, germplasm generated, datasets generated, publications, and public engagement activities as they occur). This document is updated by us on a regular basis.
• All the objectives during the DFW reporting period have been met, and many exceeded.
• All the committees within DFW are up and running including the key data coordination task force (DCTF) and Breeder's toolkit committees, both with WP2 representation.
• A DFW wheat early career training course for women has been developed and run by JIC and has included participation by male and female scientists across multiple WPs including WP2 and Rothamsted Research
• Breeders toolkit committee meeting with nine breeder companies to continue germplasm exchange between DFW researchers and the private sector and the trialling at multiple sites

WP 2.1 specific updates from Rothamsted Research

• In collaboration with Rothamsted, QBI have measured arabinoxylan and ß-glucan fibre in durum wheat TILLING mutants to determine pleiotropic effects of SBEII mutations conferring enhanced resistant starch (obj. 2.1.4 and obj 2.1.5). We are now working with Rothamsted to measure fibre components in samples of semolina pudding made with SBEII mutants from our human intervention study focused on glycemic response. This work has now been completed and published (Corrado et al 2019 Food and Function).
• In collaboration with JIC, Rothamsted have identified a major QTL for high arabinoxylan fibre in the high fibre Chinese wheat cultivar Yumai 34 and identified tightly linked SNP markers which have been validated using high fibre lines developed in a Hungarian breeding programme. We have also shown that even higher levels of fibre can be obtained by combining this QTL with a second QTL from the French wheat Valoris (obj2.1.4). This work has also been published (Lovegrove et al 2020. PLoS ONE) and generated a great deal of positive press coverage.
• Comparative analyses of historic wheats (dating back over 200 years) done at Rothamsted have shown that intensive plant breeding has not resulted in reduced levels of dietary fibre in wheat flour. This work is under revision following submission for publication (Lovegrove et al Scientific Reports).
• High fibre lines have to offered to the DFW Breeders Toolkit for assessment. In 2020
• In order to determine whether the grain fibre content has been affected by wheat breeding a series of 39 "heritage" wheat cultivars dating back over 250 years has been grown in replicated field trials for 3 years. Analysis of white flour for total arabinoxylan showed no relationship between the date of release and fibre content. The heritage wheat cultivars, from the 3-year replicated field trial have now been analysed for polar metabolites and mineral content. This work is under revision following submission to Scientific Reports, this is a joint publication involving Rothamsted and Bristol.
• Continuing collaborations with QIB: As with the semolina samples from QBI/JIC mutant starch lines, the pudding samples developed for the pilot intervention trial (with ICL) have also been shown to have increased levels of arabinoxylan and ?-glucan at Rothamsted. This work is now published and we continue our collaborations with QIB, providing analysis of fibre components in newly developed mutant starch lines.
• Joint publication, Rothamsted, JIC, QIB, NIAB specifically around WP2.1 activities (Improving Starch and Fibre in Wheat Flour and Bread) submitted to Nature Foods, Hazzard et al. 2020.
• High fibre Watkins lines (identified at RRES) have been developed into Watkins x Paragon populations (by the JIC, WP3) to identify novel high fibre QTL (supported by "FIBRAXFUN"). These lines are being phenotyped using HP-SEC-MALS and relative viscosity measurements.

WP 2.2 specific updates from Rothamsted Research
Obj2.2.1
Zymoseptoria tritici
• Progeny from 19 most promising M3 individuals (selected following screening of 160 M3 families or ~ 13,000 plants) displaying markedly lower Septoria disease and fungal sporulation levels have been re-tested. This beneficial phenotype has been confirmed for the M4 progeny from four M3 plants. Work is in progress to screen the remaining M3 and M4 families for reduced susceptibility to Septoria.

• Reduced susceptibility to Septoria has also been confirmed in progeny from the two out of four previously identified M5 Paragon ?-irradiation induced chromosome deletion mutants.

• Screening of a collection of >20 exotic and synthetic wheat genotypes each carrying one or more genetically defined Septoria tritici blotch (Stb) resistance genes for response to 100 recent UK field isolates of Septoria is well underway in a UoN iCASE PhD studentship project (Henry Tidd). To date, we tested a total of 971 wheat - Z. tritici interactions and the screening revealed that exotic germplasm including synthetic wheat lines (particularly Synthetic 6X and M3) and an Australian wheat cv. Lorikeet carrying the recently identified resistance gene Stb19 as well as genotypes containing multiple major STB resistance genes (e.g. Kavkaz-K4500 L.6.A.4) provide considerably broader and more complete resistance to recent UK isolates of Septoria than other available resistance sources. This suggests that the pathogen has little pre-existing virulence against lines with more novel STB resistance genes and that breeding for STB resistance would benefit from pyramiding major Stb genes with different isolate specificities. Further work is in progress to identify the most desirable combination of Stb genes for broad spectrum control of Septoria.

• A new field trial for wheat resistance to Septoria has been established in Devon (North Wyke), a region with high incidence of Septoria. A range of materials including previously reported exotic wheats representing different Septoria disease resistance sources as well as synthetic wheats developed at UoN, and the most promising Watkins lines and CIMMYT wheat are being assessed during 2019-2020 season.

Take-all
• The composite Watkins populations W487, W488, W489 x Paragon mapping populations have been evaluated under field conditions for take-all disease (Year 1). This field seasons was conducive to good levels of take-all disease in a 3rd wheat position.
Due to extreme wet weather conditions the Year 2 trial was not drilled in autumn 2019. This seed has been returned to the seed store for potential drilling in autumn 2020.

• The seedling pot bioassay was repeated on the unexpected take-all susceptible wild-rye. This time the ITS confirmed wild rye S. vavilovii P208/144 was used as the seed source. Again, moderately susceptible to take-all was obtained, thereby reconfirming the original result. Enough seed is now available to evaluate this rye line under 3rd wheat field conditions to determine if the genotype is susceptible to take-all disease at the adult plant stage and if this accession exhibits a re-rooting phenotype in response to take-all damage. For comparison, three highly resistant wild ryes accessions (S. vavilovii 573649, S. anatolicum P208/141 and S. iranicum P208/141) and S. cereale will also be included in this autumn drilled trial (Jess Spong, UoNotts, DTP). Crossing in the glasshouse has started in Feb 2020 between the take-all susceptible S. vavilovii and a take-all resistant S. vavilovii and F1 seeds are developing.
Again, due to extreme weather conditions, this rye trial was not drilled in autumn 2019 to evaluate take-all susceptibility. This experiment will now be drilled in autumn 2020 under 3rd wheat field conditions.

Obj2.2.2
Zymoseptoria tritici
• Candidate WAK genes co-localised with the Septoria resistance loci Stb14 and Stb19 on 3B and 1D have been identified and prioritised as candidate resistance genes for functional testing through VIGS in combination with other approaches in collaboration with INRA (France) and ANU/ NSW DPI (Australia).

• In a joint UoN/RRes PhD studentship project (Dimitra Angelopoulou) focused on understanding the role of chloroplastic defence in the resistance response of wheat against Septoria the physiological and molecular mechanism/s by which the wheat resistance gene Stb6 operates during early host-pathogen interactions has been investigated. New findings suggest that pathogen recognition as early as 6 hours post infection by the resistant genotypes carrying Stb6 is associated with photoprotective mechanisms in the chloroplast including dynamic photoinhibition initiated to balance the redox state in the photosynthetic machinery to avoid permanent damage to photosystems and mount defence response. Further work will investigate the molecular and biochemical mechanism of these photoprotective responses.

• Homoeologues of TaBAK1-2, a gene potentially involved in disease resistance to Z. tritici based on the VIGS data, were targeted using CRISPR/Cas and a number of homozygous/biallelic mutant lines were generated. The mutant lines are currently being phenotyped vs Z. tritici.

• In another PhD project (Chris Stephens) we identified that expression of the wheat Stb6 gene in a model tobacco plant Nicotiana benthamiana induces a defence response ultimately leading to plant cell death. Importantly, this study revealed that the hypersensitive response depends on the protein kinase activity of the Stb6 protein. This provides an avenue for exploring the downstream defence signalling pathway activated by Stb6. We were also able to demonstrate that although Stb6 resembles wall associated kinase this receptor protein is in fact plant cellular membrane bound rather than cell wall bound. Moreover, an additional yeast-based protein-protein interaction study reconfirmed our previous data suggesting a lack of direct physical interaction between Stb6 and the matching Z. tritici effector AvrStb6.

Fusarium
Silencing Min7 in hexaploid wheat leads to enhanced FHB disease susceptibility
Following on from an enhanced susceptibility Arabidopsis gene lead identified in the BBSRC-EMBRAPA bilateral project reported in ResearchFish in 2019 (BB/N018095/1), the wheat homologue of AtMin7 was identified and BSMV-VIGS constructs were produced and tested to silence A, B and D genome MIN7 homoeologues in wheat. Very efficient silencing of TaMIN7 was observed in wheat spikes, where a decrease of MIN7 transcript abundance by 77 % was detected compared to the control BSMV-mcs4d. When point inoculated with F. graminearum, these TaMIN7 silenced spikes displayed significantly more Fusarium head blight disease than the comparable control plants. Overall these results indicate that disruption of MIN7 function in both the model species Arabidopsis and wheat compromises the vesicular trafficking system of innate immunity signals or products resulting in hyper-susceptibility to disease. A manuscript has been prepared and will soon be submitted for publication.
• In a UoN DTP PhD project on small secreted Fg effectors, final year student Catherine Walker has used the transient expression of effectors in the Barley Stripe Mosaic Virus-mediated overexpression (BSMV-VOX) system to identify several effectors contributing towards disease establishment in the wheat ear. Effectors were also transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana and two effectors, FgSSP32 and FgSSP33, were found to induce vascular-associated cell necrosis, production of the jasmonic acid precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid and the formation of apoplastic occlusions. Gene deletion of either FgSSP32 or FgSSP33 did not alter Fusarium pathogenicity towards wheat. These results highlight the importance of using the BSMV-VOX system to over-come the generic redundancy issues associated with exploring fungal effector function via traditional reverse genetics approaches (i.e. single gene deletions in the pathogen).
• As part of a 2nd UoN DTP PhD project on small secreted Fg effectors that commenced in April 2019 at RRes (Claire Kanja), a new bioinformatic pipeline comprising of transcriptomic, genomic and proteomic analysis of the Fg pan-genome has led to the identification of 25 candidate effectors, which were further refined to three candidates for functional analysis using BSMV-VOX and heterologous expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Expression of two of the candidate Fg effectors, up-regulated in the symptomless infection phase, in Nicotiana benthamiana has led to a visible phenotype with cuticle thinning necrosis of the infiltrated tissue. Further work will be done to investigate cell death suppression in this heterologous system. One candidate Fg effector FgSSP53, induces plant defences when expressed in wheat (BSMV-VOX) and in N. benthamiana causes a visible cuticle thinning and widespread necrosis the infiltrated tissue. DAB staining has indicated this cuticle thinning is linked to an accumulation of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) at these sites. Further work is being done to generate knock-out mutants of Fg candidate effectors and to visualise these phenotypes using various microscopy techniques.

Obj2.2.3
• All CRISPR/Cas9 mutant lines carrying a range of deletions and small insertions in the Stb6 gene have now being phenotyped and all show loss of resistance to Septoria isolates carrying avirulence alleles of the matching effector AvrStb6 demonstrating successful application of gene editing for studying wheat-fungal interactions.

Obj2.2.4
Zymoseptoria tritici
• We have generated multiple Z. tritici strains stably transformed with a 3LysM effector promoter - GFP reporter construct. This is facilitating screens to identify the signals which pathogenic fungi use to know when to switch on their major virulence effectors.
Take-all
• Co-inoculation and split-pot bioassays have been done to investigate the role of local and systemic plant induced resistance in the protection against the pathogenic Gaeumannomyces tritici (Gt) by the beneficial endophyte Gaeumannomyces hyphopodioides (Gh). Protection against Gt by Gh has been confirmed in the co-inoculation experiment. In addition, a novel system has been designed to collect below-ground volatile and non-volatile organic compounds produced in the Gaeumannomyces-wheat interaction. The presence of novel volatiles and non-volatiles have been identified in the Gh-wheat interaction. (Tania Chancellor, UoNotts, DTP)

Obj2.2.5
• PHI-base: Two new releases of PHI-base were made available online in May 27th and Sep 16th 2019 (www.phi-base.org). To achieve these two releases an additional 443 research papers were curated and made available that described an additional 875 pathogen genes and their phenotypes. The molecular interactions described in the database records for pathogens and crop plants and other hosts were described in two articles Howe et al. and Urban et al. (Nucleic Acid Research, Database issue 2020. PHI-base's continuation as an Agrigenomics resource provider for the UK node of the ELIXIR (European Life science infrastructure) project was re-confirmed in 25th Oct 2019.
• Computational network analysis approach based on predicted protein-protein interactions and various types of network analyses using the new PHI-base data identified new 35 candidate virulence genes in F. graminearum. A SWBio DTP project on this topic will start in October 2020 in collaboration with Dr Neil Brown at the University of Bath and Dr Ryan Ames at the University of Exeter.
• Four F. culmorum transcription factor single gene deletion mutants (Fcul C, D, E, F) were tested on wheat plants and shown to be reduced in virulence. Transcriptional networks are now being explored to identify the downstream targets of these regulatory genes. Additional single gene deletion experimental controls have been successfully made for the transcription factors Fcul tri6 and Fcul tri10. The Fg virulence bioassay on wheat spikes has been modified to save both CE space and costs. The new in planta bioassay uses the dwarf space wheat Apogee and point inoculation of the basal spikelets. The virulence data obtained using this new bioassay is comparable to that previously obtained with wheat cv Bobwhite and point inoculation of spikelets in the upper third of the spike.
• A follow-on SWBio DTP project on the role of plasmodesmatal connections in the wheat-Fusarium interaction will start in October 2020 in collaboration with Dr Michael Deeks at University of Exeter, Dr Smita Kurup at Rothamsted and Dr Christine Faulkner at the John Innes Centre.

Obj2.2.6
Zymoseptoria tritici
• Using a PAN genomics and transcriptomics analysis followed up by genetic complementation we resolved that a single gene with the least snp variation and highest expression present within a six gene T-DNA deleted cluster was responsible for a complete loss of virulence on plants by Z. tritici. This is not a predicted secondary metabolite cluster and the T-DNA has inserted into a genome region lacking both transposons and repeat elements.
• We have re-sequenced a further 16 none-pathogenic UV mutants of Z. tritici. This has revealed a new candidate gene set linking cell wall stability to hyphal growth and the virulence of the pathogen on wheat. A further 31 Z. tritici mutant strains with loss of virulence on wheat have been generated.
• In a UoN DTP PhD project (student Hannah Blyth) on the identification of virulence and avirulence genes by taking a 'mutagenomic' approach in Z. tritici fifteen isolates with reduced virulence against wheat cv. Riband from a restriction enzyme-mediated integration mutant library have been whole genome sequenced. Work to complement the candidate genes identified has begun to see if wild-type virulence is restored. Previous gene candidates from a random Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) experiments have been tested through targeted KO using ATMT in the KU70 background, and have not so far validated the observed reduced virulence phenotypes of the random mutants. Another project utilising fungal UV mutagenesis aims to identify avirulence genes in Z. tritici and has been through two rounds of pilot experiments which have refined our methods. The next aim is to utilise a different Z. tritici isolate and wheat cultivar to potentially find AvrSTB19.
Fusarium
• A development of the KnetMiner portal for F. culmorum has been produced (in test for three months), a partner to the existing F. graminearum (http://knetminer.rothamsted.ac.uk/Fusarium_graminearum/). Additionally, an integrated KnetMiner portal of six fungal species, FungiKnet, is in development comprising Aspergillus nidulans, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium pseudograminearum, Neurospora crassa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymoseptoria tritici. This portal will allow comparative analysis of genomes, phenotypes and publications in two model organisms and four filamentous pathogenic fungi that infect wheat.
Take-all
• Culturing for DNA extraction for genome sequencing has begun for (wild) take-all isolates, previously isolated from the Rothamsted Highfield long term grassland experiments as well as comparative isolates taken from wheat fields at Rothamsted. The latter were four arable Gt isolates (either Type A / B) have also been characterised for sensitivity to silthiofam (sensitive / insensitive) (collaboration between EI and RRes).
The preparation of mycelium from take-all wild and arable-derived isolates has now been completed and transferred to the Earlham Institute for DNA extraction and full genome sequencing using PacBio and Illumina seq reads. This includes four reference Gt isolates (Type A / B) which are either sensitive or insensitive to the seed applied fungicide Silthiofam.
In addition, Gt isolates collected from Hereward (high take-all builder) and Cadenza (low take-all builder) plots from three long term continuous wheat cultivar field trials (Years 1 - 3) are currently being cultured for resequencing at the Earlham. These isolates will be used in comparative genomic studies to evaluate the impact of cultivar variety, disease progression and environment on the take-all fungus.

Wheat stem rust
• In collaboration with SCIRO (Australia) we isolated a new stem rust avirulence gene AvrSr27. The availability of the AvrSr27 sequence now provides the capacity to detect virulence genotypes in wheat stem rust populations through modern sequencing approaches. Together with AvrSr35 and AvrSr50 (cloned in this collaboration in the first year of DFW ISP), this represent the inception of a molecular diagnostic toolbox for effective prediction of fungal virulence from genotype sequence data followed by regional deployment of most appropriate stem rust resistance genes and their combinations for effective disease control.
Multiple cereal and non-cereal pathogens
A new bioinformatics resource called PHI-Nets has been developed to provide a network resource for 15 Ascomycete fungal pathogens to annotate and identify putative virulence interacting proteins and siRNA targets. These inferred interactomes have been computationally reconstructed using an interolog and domain-based approach. Included in this new resource, which is available from PHI-base, are three important wheat infecting pathogens, namely Z. tritici, F. graminearum and Magnaporthe oryzae. (Janowska-Sejda et al (2019) Frontiers in Microbiology).

Obj2.2.7 - not a Rothamsted objective

Obj2.2.8
• We demonstrated that the tetraploid durum wheat as well as a diploid progenitor of the wheat D genome, Aegilops tauschii, are amenable to VIGS. Collaborative efforts involving RRes and JIC are underway to functionally analyse some of the candidate genes identified through shotgun-sequencing of Ae. tauschii lines.

• We extended VIGS protocols to studies of candidate meiotic genes in wheat (published in https://link.springer.com/protocol/10.1007%2F978-1-4939-9818-0_22) speeding up identification of genes that could be used to improve frequency of genetic recombination, a very desired trait in wheat breeding.

• In the collaborative efforts involving Nomad Bioscience GmbH (Germany) we demonstrated that our new plant virus-based expression (VOX) vector PV101 we developed in the first year of DFW ISP, can be used to manipulate agronomically important traits in wheat (e.g. height, flowering time, and weedicide resistance) through transient heterologous protein expression.

• We have generated a modular cloning toolkit, comprising 103 modules, for genome editing applications in monocots and dicots (the preprint is available on bioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/738021). The toolkit components can be requested via Addgene (www.addgene.org).

2021 entry

During the year, we have provided BBSRC Swindon office with a google.doc site, which lists all our DFW outputs (including data access sites, germplasm generated, datasets generated, publications, and public engagement activities as they occur). This document is updated by us on a regular basis. All the objectives during the DFW reporting period have been met, and many exceeded. All the committees within DFW are running well including the key data coordination task force (DCTF) and Breeder's toolkit committees, both with WP2 representation.

WP2.1 report
A multidisciplinary approach has been used to determine the trafficking and location of iron and zinc in developing and mature grain.
Work on Fe at Rothamsted was partly supported by and fully integrated with the CropNut project ( BB/P019358/1 - 'CROPNUT: increasing iron in cereals) led by Janneke Balk at the JIC. A combination of biological imaging approaches was used, including histochemical staining (JIC, RRes), transmission electron microscopy with EDS (RRes) and Nano-SIMS (University of Manchester) to compare conventional lines and a biofortified line expressing the vacuolar iron transporter TaVIT2. Pulse labelling with 57Fe combined with NanoSIMS showed that the main route of iron transport was from the transfer cells of the crease to the scutellum of the embryo through a specialised zone of the endosperm. Furthermore, iron accumulated in intracellular clusters in these endosperm cells of the TaVIT2 line. Similar iron-rich vesicles were also present in control grain, but with striking differences in 57Fe enrichment. In particular, the aleurone cells contained a population of smaller 57Fe enriched bodies that appeared to merge with existing iron globoids high in phytate.

The locations of Zn and Fe in wheat grain have also be determined by LA-ICP-MS, in collaboration with Dr Theodora Stewart at KCL. This showed that both minerals were located in the embryo and aleurone layer, but differed in their relative distributions within these tissues. It also showed no differences in mineral location between a biofortified line with enhanced contents of Fe and Zn (from CIMMYT) and control lines.

The mapping of two major QTLs for arabinoxylan fibre in white flour (see previous reports) has enabled us to identify candidate genes which are being characterised using TILLING mutants. We are also currently using QTL in the Watkins land race collection to identify further QTL for stacking. Preliminary screening of the core collection for total and soluble arabinoxylan in wholemeal identified 30 lines which were grown for 3 years in replicate randomised field experiments and analysed for arabinoxylan in white flour. Three lines with high fibre in white flour were selected and populations from crosses with the UK spring wheat Paragon grown in replicated field experiments. Analyses of white flour fractions from these lines showed good segregation for fibre content allowing the preliminary identification of a third high fibre QTL. The populations are currently being grown again to confirm these results.

Collaborative studies with the University of Reading (Prof Jeremy Spencer and Dr Alice Turner) have shown that treatment of high fibre wheat flour with enzyme to release phenolic acids bound to arabinoxylan results in improved vascular function (measured by flow-mediate dilatation) when fed to human volunteers. The effect was similar in magnitude to the benefits demonstrated for other phenolic-rich foods, including blueberries.

We have also established a collaboration to exploit data from the WatSeq project (led by Simon Griffiths, JIC, and Shifeng Cheng, CAAS) to identify polymorphisms in genes associated with the synthesis of arabinoxylan and beta-glucan fibre and to facilitate candidate gene identification.

We have also initiated a detailed analysis of wheat beta-glucan. This is a monir fibre component in wheat (approx. 0.5% white flour) but has well-established health benefits in barley and oats. Wheat glucan is not well characterised and is largely insoluble compared to glucans in barley and oats. We have therefore developed methods to quantify the amount and determine the structure of beta-glucan in white flour fraction and wholemeal. These will be used to determine variation on glucan amount and structure between genotypes and in different tissues of the grain.

WP 2.2 report
Obj2.2.1 Identify and characterise WP3 germplasm with resistance to pathogens and pests and/or reducing sources of initial inoculum/founder populations
Zymoseptoria tritici
• Progeny from 13 most promising M3 individuals selected following screening of 200 Taichung-29 EMS-induced M3 families or ~ 1900 plants displaying markedly lower Septoria disease infection and fungal sporulation levels have been re-tested. This beneficial phenotype has been confirmed for the M4 progeny from three M3 lines. Work is in progress to screen the remaining M3 and M4 families for reduced susceptibility to Septoria.
• Reduced susceptibility to Septoria has been confirmed in progeny from one out of four previously identified M5 Paragon ?-irradiation induced chromosome deletion mutants. Total 110 M4 families (~ 1000 plants) have been screened so far and work is in progress to screen the remaining families for reduced susceptibility to Septoria.

Molecular screening of transgenic wheat lines generated to express hairpin RNA (hpRNA) constructs targeting essential Zymoseptoria tritici genes Mg3LysM, MgCYP51 and Chs3 has been carried out to test the functionality of a HIGS approach for developing resistance against Septoria tritici blotch in wheat. Testing the inheritance of transgenes in T2 progeny and effect of HIGS on the endogenous transcript levels of candidate genes in Z. tritici during colonisation is now complete and our data indicates that the transgenic HIGS approach is not efficient for containing Z. tritici infection. Additional experiments to quantify the levels of small interfering RNAs produced in the transgenic HIGS lines corresponding to the transgene being expressed are underway.

F3 mapping populations of derived from crosses between the STB resistant wheat varieties Balance (Stb18) or Synthetic 6X (Stb5) and the susceptible KWS Cashel have been phenotyped with the corresponding avirulent Z. tritici isolates in a UoN iCASE PhD studentship project (Henry Tidd). KASP markers have been designed for sixteen STB resistance genes using data from RAGT Seeds and Rothamsted Research. Five markers have already been tested for Stb7 and segregate correctly with the parental lines. These markers will be useful for academics interested in cloning the respective disease resistance gene, and for breeders interested in transferring these genes into their elite wheat germplasm.

Take-all
Due to a backlog in root system assessments for take-all we decided to postpone drilling year 2 of the composite Watkins populations W487, W488, W489 x Paragon mapping populations field trial until root assessment of the Paragon x W777 mapping population year 3 field trial had been completed. Instead the three Watkins parental lines W487, W488, W489 were due to be assessed in a large plot field trial under 1st and 3rd wheat conditions within the same field situation to further evaluate their take-all building properties and tissue-based resistance to take-all. However, due to wet weather conditions this trial was not drilled in autumn 2020. Lines W487, W488, W489 will now be included in a new 1st vis 3rd wheat field trial due to be drilled in autumn 2021.

Unfortunately, due to another wet autumn the take-all susceptible Secale vavilovii rye and the take-all resistant S. vavilovii rye could not be field drilled in 2020. Instead the susceptible and resistant S. vavilovii wild ryes accessions, P208/144 and 573649 respectively, will be evaluated in a large pot experiment in sand beds which was set up in Oct 2020. This will enable phenotypic characterisation of the susceptible rye in adult plants and the rye re-rooting phenotype after G. tritici infection. Note - in wheat re-rooting after take-all infection has never been observed.

A new seedling pot bioassay using vermiculite has been established allowing us to differentiate between take-all susceptibility in three-week old seedlings both in wheat and in rye. This reduces the duration of the pot bioassay by 2 weeks. The four selected reference strains of G. tritici selected for full genome sequencing were tested individually for their capacity to infect rye roots by using this new experimental set up. We found that only one of the take-all isolates was able to infect the resistant S. vavilovii wild rye and the resistant commercial rye Carotop. This finding opens the door to investigate the molecular basis between the different ability to infect rye and wheat by different take-all strains.
Additional pot experiments have been set up in sand beds to evaluate the effect of infections by the taxonomically related antagonistic fungus G. hyphopodiodes on the wheat root system and overall wheat plant health (Tania Chancellor UoN DTP) and by the four selected reference strains of G. tritici on adult plants.

The susceptible wild-rye, S. vavilovii P208/144, has been crossed to a resistant wild rye, S. vavilovii 573649, and F1 seeds have been obtained. Under controlled conditions, to facilitate genetic analyses, these resulting F1 plants are now been crossed to both the susceptible and resistant parents to generate two test cross populations and also selfed to obtain a F2 population. This approach has been taken because there is insufficient F1 seed to permit phenotyping in the presence and absence of the take-all fungus.

Aphids
• Two wheat landraces included in the DFW Breeders' Toolkit have undergone further development. These landraces were shown to demonstrate resistance against important UK cereal aphids in both laboratory bioassays and field trials performed across three years. Informative crosses between this material and a modern aphid-susceptible spring wheat cultivar have been performed to generate mapping population(s). Single seed descent has now been completed through to an F3 or F4 population stage (depending upon spring or winter wheat varieties) with additional populations under development. The potential for mapping this aphid resistance using the material now available will be qualified in the near-future.

• Dr Amma Simon, former PhD student with DFW-linked funding under the supervision of Dr Gia Aradottir, successfully defended her thesis. Resultant publications are also under development (https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.16.877589). During the PhD research, partial as well as a high level of resistance to aphids from several lines of a wheat ancestral diploid species (Triticum monococcum) were characterised in a multifaceted manner. The relationship between volatile organic compounds and aphid behaviour prior to direct host interaction with and without prior aphid infestation were explored. Evidence for pre-alighting resistance was obtained. Temporal changes within aphid-resistant material and associated impacts upon aphid development/survival were also investigated. Evidence for post-alighting resistance was again obtained indicating difficulties in stylet probing, aphid drinking and aphid feeding on the most resistant line (MDR049) compared to susceptible controls ( MDR037) and hexaploid cultivar Solstice. Transcriptomic data, wherein gene up- and down-regulation can be scrutinised, has also been generated across informative treatments of both aphid-resistant and susceptible T. monococcum plant lines and across key timepoints; this data has undergone preliminary analysis and is now undergoing additional robust evaluation.

• Building upon work characterising T. monococcum lines identified during mass screening of plant material for aphid resistance, one line has been prioritised due to an observed greater aphid knockdown effect according to several measures. F3 and F4 mapping populations are established for this source of resistance with phenotyping data obtained for the F3 material. Reliable and germplasm-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified using promotome capture data generated within WGIN. This data provides high sequencing read depth 'snapshots' across the wheat genome and has enabled the design of KASP markers capable of qualifying informative SNPs. Additional genotyping data (Breeders' 35K Axiom array) has been used to supplement candidate SNPs, increasing the potential for useful KASP marker development. A greater level of informative markers was identified from promotome data compared to SNP array results. SNP array-based genotyping alone was suggested as unlikely to provide sufficient genome coverage for the reliable determination of any region(s) of the T. monococcum genome linked with aphid resistance. Transcriptomic data generated in the aforementioned PhD research is also being employed to identify additional polymorphisms for developing KASP markers. Wheat genome specificity has been considered throughout marker development. Therefore, in addition to mapping aphid resistance within the diploid T. monococcum mapping population, a set of KASP markers are also predicted to be viable for tracking introgression of aphid resistance into a hexaploid wheat background (already in progress). Validation of these markers is underway.

• Exploratory work into acquiring plant phloem exudates via excised aphid stylets has commenced. Key equipment necessary for precise removal of stylets has been identified as viable for future work wherein transcriptomic analyses of specific tissue from plant lines with and without aphid resistance may be investigated.

• Work investigating the potential for using spectral signatures as a method to detect aphid damage rapidly and cheaply in crops was funded through uplift grants separate from DFW funding. Due to staff changes, this line of work is no longer associated with current DFW goals.


Obj2.2.2 Identification and functional analysis of genes providing resistance/ susceptibility to pathogens and pests
Zymoseptoria tritici
VIGS constructs have been produced for one candidate Stb19 and two candidate Snn3 genes in a UoN iCASE PhD studentship project (Henry Tidd) as part of collaborations with groups in Australia (NSW Department for Primary Industry, and Australian National University), France (INRAE) and UK (NIAB). The gene silencing experiments involving treatments of silenced plants with Z. tritici and a P. nodorum necrotrophic effector Tox3, respectively, and assessment of the resulting gene knockdown on the resulting phenotypes are in progress.

In a joint UoN/RRes PhD studentship project, Dimitra Angelopoulou focused on understanding the role of chloroplastic defence in the resistance response of wheat against Zymoseptoria tritici. The physiological and molecular mechanism(s) by which the wheat resistance gene Stb6 operates during early host-pathogen interactions has been investigated. New findings suggest that pathogen recognition as early as 6 hours post infection by the resistant genotypes carrying Stb6 is associated with photoprotective mechanisms in the chloroplast including initiation of dynamic reorganisation of light harvesting complexes in photosystems to balance the redox state in the photosynthetic machinery in order to avoid permanent damage to photosystems and to mount defence response. In depth physiological measurements also took place in order to deconvolute the involvement of the two photosystems (PSII and PSI) and evidence suggests that there is a time-dependent response to infection from each photosystem. RNA sequencing data from ±Stb6 Near Isogenic Lines infected with two strains of the pathogen (one virulent and one avirulent) further support the observed physiological responses and important proteins of the light harvesting complexes have been identified. Further work will include functional characterisation of those proteins.

Fusarium graminearum
• We have previously demonstrated that silencing of each of the three predicted wheat fructosyltransferase (FTs) genes using BSMV-VIGS resulted in reduced susceptibility to F. graminearum which led us to hypothesise that Fg may be able to utilise at least some fructans as nutrients for growth during wheat colonisation. We now experimentally tested and confirmed this hypothesis using in vitro fungal growth assays in which commercially available fructans were used as the main source of nutrients. This provides new avenues for deriving resistance to F. graminearum in wheat by manipulating the fructan biosynthesis pathway. The manuscript presenting these data is being finalised.
We have prepared a publication presenting evidence that the ARF-GEF protein MIN7, a component of the vesicular trafficking system, in both Arabidopsis and wheat is required for minimising F. graminearum infection. Atmin7 mutants were hyper-susceptible to F. graminearum infection. Orthologues of Min7 in wheat were silenced (BSMV-VIGS) and displayed enhanced susceptibility to F. graminearum and significantly more FHB disease symptoms. The paper has been submitted to the preprint server bioRxiv and also to the Journal of Experimental Botany where it was reviewed and several additional Arabidopsis experiments were suggested, , i.e. expression of Min7 gene during F. graminearum infection, quantification of fungal biomass, test with additional mutants. These experiments have been completed (post lock down) and a revised manuscript has been re-submitted to Journal of Experimental Botany and also placed on bioRxiv.

• Functional analysis of selected candidate Fusarium effectors by BSMV-VOX in wheat and heterologous expression in Nicotiana benthamiana has shown a candidate Fg effector upregulated in the symptomless phases induces both host and non-host defence responses. In N. benthamiana the candidate Fg effector has led to a visible phenotype with cuticle thinning necrosis of the infiltrated tissue, and DAB staining has indicated the production of Reactive Oxygen Species upon over expression. In the wheat system, the BSMV-VOX results in a significant reduction in FHB disease symptoms compared to the controls. Further work will be done to investigate the defence pathways activated by the putative effector in N. benthamiana and investigations into possible interactions between candidate effectors using BiFC and co-infiltration assays.

Obj2.2.3 Identify natural and induced variation of broad-spectrum receptors and non-canonical resistance genes, evaluating their effect on resistance to multiple pathogens
We were successful in attracting an excellent student (Alina Igna) for the new UoN-RRes DTP project aiming to identify new immune receptors in the nonhost plants that recognise Z. tritici small secreted proteins. The main part of the PhD project started in April 2020.


Obj2.2.4 Understand the infection biology of key pathogens/pests and mechanisms controlling communication with host cells and associated microbial communities
Zymoseptoria tritici
In a UoN DTP PhD project (Luca Steel) aiming to explore regulation of key Z. tritici virulence effector 3LysM, we used mutants expressing GFP under the control of the 3LysM promoter. Factors which appear to influence expression include a cell wall glycosyltransferase, nutrient availability, infection stage and a putative upstream regulator. This will be further investigated using a Y1H assay to identify proteins interacting with the 3LysM promoter.

Fusarium graminearum
• Two new SWBio PhD projects aligned to DFW commenced in September 2020. Victoria Armer will focus on exploring communication mechanisms between fungal pathogens and plant cells. Erika Kroll will focus on exploring tissue specific host-pathogen protein interactions using a systems biology approach.
• Four members of the Fusarium team and one former PhD student were invited to prepare a book chapter for a forthcoming book entitled 'Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals' editor Richard Oliver. The article entitled 'Cereal-Fusarium interactions: Improved fundamental insights into Fusarium pathogenomics and cereal host resistance reveals new ways to achieve durable disease control' has been accepted for publication.

Take-all
A comparative time-course RNA sequencing experiment is underway to investigate plant transcriptional changes in response to early root infection by Gaeumannomyces tritici and Gaeumannomyces hyphopodioides. RNAs have been already extracted and the resulting cDNA libraries sequenced from infected and control roots at key time points during the infection process selected by confocal microscopy. This experiment may also allow an investigation of in planta expressed pathogenesis related genes in Gaeumannomyces tritici. (Tania Chancellor, UoNotts, DTP).
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has revealed that fungal structures produced by G. hyphopodioides, which have previously been described in the literature as "sub-epidermal vesicles" or "swollen cells with pores" are likely to be fungal "chlamydospore-like" structures with thicker cell walls produced in response to stress. This supports the hypothesis that take-all control by G. hyphopodioides is achieved by plant-induced resistance (Tania Chancellor, UoNotts, DTP).

An invited review article on Take-all root disease was written by the six member take-all team and a collection of new artwork covering the entire interaction with wheat at various scales was developed by Amy Dodds in the VCU team at Rothamsted. This review was submitted to Trends in Plant Sciences in Sept 2020 and was accepted for publication in February 2021. It has been 15 years since this interaction was last reviewed.

Obj2.2.5 • Investigate molecular mechanisms driving pathogen and pest host adaptation and specialisation, using comparative genomics
Zymoseptoria tritici
We have prepared a publication based on the study by a PhD student (Chris Stephens) describing remarkable recent changes in genetic diversity of the avirulence gene AvrStb6 in global field populations of the fungal wheat pathogen Z. tritici. The Manuscript has been submitted to the preprint server bioRxiv and also to the journal Molecular Plant Pathology where it has been favourably reviewed with all reviewers recommended a publication pending minor revisions. The manuscript is currently being revised.

Fusarium graminearum
The Fusarium graminearum pangenome analysis has continued using a total of 15 new strains from Brazil and others available in the public domain. The current pangenome has been constructed based on 21 F. graminearum genomes (Robert King). For the manuscript, some of the original analysis have been re-done due to annotation improvements and several new analyses have been completed. Dr. Mark McMullan (Earlham Institute) collaborated on this study and has completed the comparative genomic and diversity analysis of these strains. Approximately 20 new secondary metabolite clusters and several new effectors were predicted in the pangenome. The manuscript preparations are still ongoing.

Fusarium culmorum genome

• We have built a F. culmorum KnetMiner community resource, about to be publicly released, that integrates data from multiple sources including EnsemblFungi (protein Sequences), InterPro (domains), BioGrid (interactions), Orthology (OMA, 9 fungal species), StringDB (protein:protein interactions), EggNOG (orthologous groups), PHI-Base (BLAST+ pathogen host interaction), APO/OMP (ascomycete/microbial ontologies) and PubMed (literature). This KnetMiner contains 561,269 concepts and 4,248,796 relations. Of the 13,610 genes in the F. culmorum genome 79% have >=10 concept links, with only 9.5% unlinked ( done in collaboration with WP4 DFW Keywan Hassani-Pak team).

• The chromosome scale assembly of F.culmorum strain UK99, showed it contains 4 core chromosomes and one supernumerary chromosome. The genomes of other sequenced and assembled Fc strains do not contain this supernumerary chromosome. Comparative genomics of the UK 99 strain has revealed genomic signatures indicative of horizontal gene transfer into core chromosomes: i.e. strain-specific genome blocks bounded by transposons absent from the annotated genomes of closely related Fusaria (F. graminearum, F. pseudograminearum, F. venenatum) but found in the more distant asexual species e.g. F. oxysporum. In addition, a cluster of gene transfer blocks at the end of chromosome 3 is close to a known hypervariable region in F. graminearum (Cuomo et al., 2007) and the F. culmorum chromosome has also been extended with a 0.2Mb inverted repeat containing genes without F. graminearum orthology.

• Functional analysis of the F. culmorum transcription factor culG (uncharacterised Zn finger transcription factor) mutant on wheat cultivar Apogee confirmed reduction in virulence but the mutant does not cause formation of eye shaped lesions on spikelet tissues in contrast to the phenotype observed in mutants defective in mycotoxin production (Fc tri5). This suggests that virulence mechanisms other that DON mycotoxin production are compromised in this mutant.

PHI-base
Two new releases of PHI-base were made available online in May 2020 and Nov 2020 (www.phi-base.org). To achieve these two releases, an additional 460 research papers were curated and made available that described an additional 901 pathogen genes and their phenotypes. PHI-base now has 1915 wheat entries and provides gene function information for 15 wheat pathogens.
In a new development PHI-base was successfully linked to the ELIXIR resource UniprotKB. Uniprot now provides direct links to PHI-base for pathogen proteins with published phenotypes.

PHI-base's web-based phenotype curation approach was presented at the ELIXIR (European Life science infrastructure) 'plant symposium 2020' to inform other ongoing plant science phenotype curation projects.

• As part of a new SWBio PhD project (Erika Kroll) to investigate gene-for-gene resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in wheat using a possible engineered PBS1-RPS5 recognition system discovered in Arabidopsis, three Fg protease genes TPP1, MEP1 and CPA4 were identified to be secreted and highly up-regulated during wheat spike infection. Fg gene deletion mutants of TTP1 and MEP1 mutants showed significantly reduced disease development, while CPA4 mutants were not affected in virulence.

• For Fusarium graminearum, we established a rapid plasmid-free CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing method based on the study by Foster et al, 2018 (doi 10.1038/s41598-018-32702-w) developed for the rice blast fungus. We have shown that the Fg cyp51A gene can efficiently be deleted using a replacement cassette, consisting of two 40-mer oligonucleotides homologous to the target gene surrounding the cut site. The two oligos were fused to a hygromycin resistance marker and transformed directly with one or two guide RNAs and the Cas9 protein. The technique promises more fine-tuned gene editing in Fg and the simultaneous editing of gene families.

• F. culmorum is presumed to be an asexual species. The analysis of the chromosome scale assembly we performed for three F. culmorum strains, isolated from wheat fields across the UK, revealed that two compatible mating type exist in these strains. This raises the possibility that F. culmorum is a heterothallic species. However, under laboratory conditions thus far, we were not able to cross the compatible sequenced strains UK97 (MAT1-2), UK99 (MAT1-2) with UK98 (MAT1-1) and another other available MAT1-1 tester strains (CS7071).

Obj2.2.6 Define novel pathogen and pest targets for intervention via genomic and adaptive evolution analyses
Zymoseptoria tritici
• In a PhD project (student Hannah Blyth) a 'mutagenomic' approach in Z. tritici identified fifteen isolates with reduced virulence against wheat cv. Riband from a restriction enzyme-mediated integration mutant library. All these have been whole genome sequenced revealing 18 candidate genes. Genetic complementation experiments have restored full virulence for the first two candidates tested (genes involved in signalling and transcription respectively). Constructs for a further 10 candidates have also been generated.
• Using a combination of PanGenomics and transcriptomics we have determined the single gene responsible for a loss of virulence in a strain with a six gene T-DNA mediated deletion. The gene responsible has least sequence variation between strains and was the most highly expressed. This sets criteria which could be used to identify and target core genes responsible for essential processes including pathogenesis.
• In an industry supported uplift project we have generated ~24,000 UV mutants to glycerol stock, to be used as a resource for future gene discovery experiments. We have also secured uplift funding to re-sequence 40 new non-pathogenic UV mutants including >35 with defective cell walls.

Take-all
The culturing of a total of 80 isolates, including (wild) take-all isolates, previously isolated from the Rothamsted Highfield long term grassland experiments as well as comparative isolates taken from wheat fields at Rothamsted has been completed at Rothamsted and the fungal mycelium transferred to the Earlham for DNA extraction. Twenty of these isolates will be used for de novo full genome sequencing and 60 isolates are being used for re-sequencing. In addition, cultures of the reference G. tritici isolates grown in solid media in the presence or absence of silthiofam have also been completed at Rothamsted and the material has been transferred to the Earlham for RNA extraction. This material, together with the previous material grown in liquid media, will be used for RNA sequencing to collect gene expression data in different conditions that will be used to assist in gene calling and genome annotation.

Fungal mycelia were transferred to the Earlham Institute (EI). Many of these fungi have not been brought into a laboratory before and at EI, DNA and RNA extraction protocols were developed (Michelle Grey). DNA extraction for Illumina and high molecular weight DNA for PacBio sequencing has been completed. Illumina sequencing is underway, and DNA is being QC'd for PacBio. RNA-seq for genome annotation is complete for the majority of samples.

Obj2.2.7 - not a Rothamsted objective

Obj2.2.8 Develop and adopt new tools and technologies to accelerate the pace of gene discovery
VIGS and VOX
• Contributed data and textual content to the collaborative research paper with the industrial partner Nomad Bioscience on the application of plant virus vectors for manipulating agronomic traits in crop plants including wheat. The paper has been published in Nature Plants.
• Contributed some crucial data and textual content to the collaborative research paper with Peter Dodds and colleagues at CSIRO, Australia presenting discovery of the new stem rust effector AvrSr27 and the corresponding disease resistance gene Sr27. The paper has been recently accepted for publication in Nature Plants.
• We were invited to contribute a methods chapter "Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat and related monocot species" for a second edition of a book on "Plant Gene Silencing" in the "Methods in Molecular Biology" series (Humana Press, USA).
• We were invited to contribute a methods chapter "Virus-mediated protein overexpression (VOX) in monocots to identify and functionally characterize fungal effectors" to the book "Effector-triggered immunity" of the series "Methods in Molecular Biology" (Humana Press, USA).

CRISPR/ Cas
• We have generated a modular cloning toolkit, comprising 103 modules, for genome editing applications in monocots and dicots (Hahn et al., BMC Plant Biology. 2020;20:179, https://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12870-020-02388-2). The toolkit components can be requested via Addgene (www.addgene.org).
• We have been invited to contribute a methodology chapter "A Modular Cloning Toolkit for Genome Editing in Cereals" to the "Accelerated Breeding of Cereal Crops" book (Methods in Molecular Biology series, Humana Press). The book chapter has now been accepted for publication.
• We co-edited a special issue of Frontiers in Plant Science entitled "CRISPR-Cas in Agriculture: Opportunities and Challenges". The special issue, accompanied by an editorial (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.672329/full), has now been completed.



2022 entry

During the year, we have provided BBSRC Swindon office with a google.doc site, which lists all our DFW outputs (including data access sites, germplasm generated, datasets generated, publications, and public engagement activities as they occur). This document is updated by us on a regular basis. All the objectives during the DFW reporting period have been met, and many exceeded. All the committees within DFW are running well including the key data coordination task force (DCTF) and Breeder's toolkit committees, both with WP2 representation.

WP2.1

Objective 2.1.4
A novel high fibre QTL has been identified on 2B of Watkins x Paragon RILs from 2 years of field trial data. HiFs (heterogeneous inbred families) are being used to narrow down the QTL interval and that of the 1B QTL also identified in Watkins x Paragon RILS. These are just about to be drilled for a field trial.
Candidate genes have been identified and backcrossed TILLING lines at the 6B QTL have been screened. Reduced polymer length from an initial screen is encouraging and transient expression of the 6B candidate gene linked to RFP appears to confirm localisation to the cell wall of wheat endosperm cells. We are in the process analysing lines for AX composition and ferulic acid content.
A mapping population with high AX alleles at 6B and 1B have been assayed for AX content and the expected high AX phenotype observed in developing and mature caryopses. The structures of AX fractions from the lines are currently being determined. A second, larger, GH experiment is underway to confirm this and undertake transcriptomic analysis in developing endosperm.
As part of LINK project (BB/T013523/1) with colleagues in DFW WP3 and with UK wheat breeders we are determining the allele frequency of QTLs in current UK elite cultivars or breeding lines and developing pre-breeding lines with the 1BL and 6BS QTL in elite backgrounds. We have delivered novel high fibre grain to millers and bakers to determine the processing properties.

Objective 2.1.5
The screen of a mapping population, identified as of interest from the European HealthGrain project, is a potential a source of higher ß-glucan content in wheat is nearing completion which will identify any variation in composition and structure
Highly detailed quantitative analyses of beta-glucan (total, soluble and insoluble) and differences in distribution of ß(1-3) and ß(1-4) glycosidic linkages in wheat milling fractions have been completed. Methods are being developed to determine their detailed locations in the whole grain tissue sections using MALDI-TOF imaging and specific enzyme digestion.

Objective 2.1.6
The whole Watkins collection has been milled (along with a number of elite cultivars, a total of ~800 samples, and distributed to WP2 partners (Janneke Balk).
We are in the processing of analysing these for AX and BG content and developing a high throughput screen for fructans using MS. This data will be integrated with newly available genomic data for the Watkins collection with WP3 partners.


WP2.2

Obj 2.2.1
Zymoseptoria tritici
• We have now completed the phenotyping of 48 M4 EMS Taichung-29 families, which were derived from the 13 M3 families segregating for reduced susceptibility to Z. tritici IPO323. Most of the families were susceptible to Z. tritici indicating that the desired phenotypes are rare and most likely require multiple mutations in the host factor genes. Nevertheless, one M4 family has been identified with all tested individuals showing a very good suppression of Septoria tritici blotch disease. This result is to be further validated by re-screening with different isolates of Z. tritici.
• The continued testing of F3 mapping populations derived from repeated backcrosses of resistant wheat lines to KWS Cashel has identified or confirmed KASP markers linked to Stb5, Stb10 and Stb16q. KASP markers for Stb5 and Stb18 have been tested more broadly and confirmed. Both Stb5 and Stb18 confer the most effective resistance against Z. tritici isolates. Efforts have also begun to produce the constructs necessary for generating fluorescent Z. tritici isolates, which will enable the confocal microscopy-based examination of the point in the disease development cycle at which further development is arrested. [Henry Tidd; iCASE PhD project].
• Wheat NILs varying for the presence of Stb5, Stb16q, Stb10, and Stb7 + Stb12 have been developed and phenotyped with the corresponding avirulent Z. tritici isolates in collaboration with RAGT Seeds. Pycnidia development rates suggest that Stb5 and Stb16q each provide full resistance to the associated lines, while Stb7 + Stb12 only provide partial protection in the absence of Stb10. [Henry Tidd; iCASE PhD project]

Take-all

• Take-all disease assessments of post- harvest soil cores and dried root plant samples collected from the four 2019/2020 long-term wheat experiments have now been completed and are awaiting statistical analyses.

• The effect of root infection by G. hyphopodiodes and by the four selected G. tritici reference strains on the wheat root system and overall adult wheat plant health have been evaluated in large pot experiments within an outside screenhouse. These experiments confirmed that G. hyphopodiodes root infection has not adverse effects on adult plant health. They have also shown that the four selected G. tritici reference strains differ in virulence and they show significantly different effects on adult plant health

• Also within large pot experiments similar phenotypic assessments on adult plants have been taken for susceptible and resistant rye with and without G. tritici infections confirming tissue based resistance by the resistant rye at the adult stage, and that different take-all susceptibility between the rye lines is also maintained at the adult stage.
Aphid/Barley Yellow Dwarf (BYDV) resistance
• Of the three previously identified sources of aphid resistance (T. monococcum lines MDR045, MDR049 and MDR657), MDR049-derived germplasm has been prioritised due to an observed greater aphid knockdown effect according to several measures. A large quantity of distinct F3 mapping populations originating from crossing between plants of the aphid-susceptible line MDR037 with MDR049 are available with historic phenotypic data also recorded. Additional F4 populations produced are to be phenotyped following further F3 population aphid resistance screening for robust putative QTL analyses.
• Reliable, informative and T. monococcum line-specific SNPs have been identified using WGIN promotome capture data with additional genotyping data (Wheat Breeders' 35K Axiom array) also employed to supplement these SNPs for KASP marker development. Prospective KASP markers span a suggested 148 distinct (>1Mbp separation) loci with high levels of redundant SNPs present across these regions (~1,799 informative SNPs total). SNP array-based genotyping provided a limited total of 88 SNPs identified between the parental lines used to generate mapping populations.
• A subset of genome-wide KASP markers are undergoing validation for future putative QTL mapping. This has been facilitated by the capacity for low/mid-throughput KASP genotyping being established within the Wheat Pathogenomics Team at RRes. Potential also exists for additional markers to be developed where considered of value from additional transcriptomics datasets. Combined with ongoing analyses into the transcriptomics data, preliminary QTL analysis aims to identify an interval containing resistance-associated genes which can be subsequently explored further according to relative gene expression. Wherever possible, KASP markers have been designed to be viable for use with both the diploid T. monococcum germplasm under investigation and for tracking introgression of aphid resistance into a hexaploid wheat background (as part of ongoing WGIN4 activities).
• A new BYDV diagnostic assay has been developed with the ability to qualify key BYDV strain presence to a theoretically greater accuracy than published strain-specific BYDV primers (based on consensus of global BYDV sequence data available online). This new assay is based on KASP genotyping chemistry (improving any ability for it to be directly employed by industry) and depends upon conserved BYDV strain-specific polymorphisms. Implementation of additional modifications to traditional end point KASP genotyping have also been used to enable semiquantitative BYDV viral titre data collection through real time qPCR techniques. Validation and potential optimisation of this new assay is underway with the help of industry (RAGT Seeds Ltd.) who have provided informative field samples.
• Efforts into optimising molecular detection of BYDV from foliar samples have been performed with false negative/type 2 errors thought to be an artefact of sample preparation notably reduced. The selection of tissue for reliable detection of BYDV on both a temporal and spatial level have also been explored.
• A new SWBio DTP CASE PhD studentship started in Oct 2022 to investigate resistance to BYDV in wheat. This PhD project is in association with RAGT Seeds Ltd and the University of Bristol.

Obj2.2.2
Fusarium graminearum
• We have now provided further evidence that disruption of MIN7 (a component of the vesicular trafficking system) function in both dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous hosts and in both floral and leaf tissues compromises the plant innate immunity resulting in more severe Fusarium graminearum disease. Moreover, we demonstrated that MIN7 protein levels substantially decrease following F. graminearum infection of Arabidopsis suggesting that this fungal wheat pathogen may contain effector(s) that destabilise MIN7 to suppress host immunity and hence to promote disease. This study is now published in Experimental Botany.

• Functional analysis of selected candidate Fusarium effectors by BSMV-VOX in wheat and heterologous expression in Nicotiana benthamiana has shown a candidate Fg effector (FgSSP53) upregulated in the symptomless phases induces both host and non-host defence responses. Effector-induced cell death can be supressed by PTI. The role of BAK1 and SOBIR1 co-receptors for detection of the candidate effector is being explored by Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in N. benthamiana. F. graminearum PH-1 mutants lacking individual candidate effector genes have been made and ?FgSSP53 shows reduced virulence on wheat floral tissue and coleoptiles. ?FgSSP34 and the double mutant are still being explored. The second isoforms of FgSSP53 found within the pangenome and species complex does not induce cell death in N. benthamiana. The region between two cysteines that determines the difference between the FgSSP53 isoforms is required and sufficient to induce cell death as seen when swapping this region into the other effector isoform.

• To identify Fg effectors responsible of the cell death phenotype observed in wheat spikes, we performed a bioinformatic pipeline that combined two published sources of in planta and in vitro transcriptomics data. This resulted in 14 candidates small secreted proteins (SSPs). Effectors were evaluated in the heterologous system of N. benthamiana to identify effectors inducing cell death. Two effectors were identified. FgSSP39 produces a robust and reproducible cell death whilst FgSSP46 produces a more variable cell death. FgSSP39 was selected for a full functional characterisation by identifying the host target/s and by assessing their role in virulence. The 14 candidates were also evaluated with different bioinformatic software to identify their subcellular localisation into the host. FgSSP41 is predicted to localise in mitochondria. Expression of FgSSP41 in N. benthamiana showed a potential localisation in mitochondria. This effector was also selected to perform additional functional characterisation. These findings also open the possibility to explore how secreted Fusarium effector are taken up from the apoplast into plant cells.

Zymoseptoria tritici
• As part of the study to elucidate the mechanism of resistance to Septoria tritici blotch disease, a yeast two-hybrid screen using the kinase domain of the wheat immune receptor protein Stb6 as a bait has been carried out with Hybrigenics Services. This screen identified a high confidence candidate interactor - a transmembrane protein predicted to be localised to the chloroplast. This interaction is to be validated and functionally characterised. But interestingly, this protein is known to form a complex with another chloroplastic membrane protein. which we previously identified as a candidate interactor for the Z. tritici effector AvrStb6 that somehow or other is recognised by Stb6. [Christopher Stephens; UoN PhD project]
• RNAseq and bioinformatics analysis were performed on NILs of wheat +/-Sb6 inoculated with either avirulent or virulent isolates of Z. tritici and sampled at 0, 6 and 24 hours after inoculation (hai). The results confirmed our hypothesis that the Stb6 containing wheat could re-organise its photosynthetic machinery by applying conformational changes on the proteins located on its light-harvesting complexes. Moreover, our analyses have revealed that this response was fast and dynamic, and detectable from 6 hai. We also found that reactive oxygen species metabolic processes were only active in the resistant but not susceptible plants at these timepoints. Finally, the core differentially regulated photosystem II light-harvesting complex genes have been identified and are to be functionally analysed through VIGS. [Dimitra Angelopoulou; UoN PhD project]

Obj2.2.4
Zymoseptoria tritici
• Following the re-screening of ~200 Z. tritici strains for reduced virulence and/or aberrant hyphal growth phenotypes and whole genome sequencing of 15 strains from a mutagenised collection of restriction enzyme-mediated integration, so far 5 gene targets have been complemented by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Of these targets so far a gene thought to be involved in cell cycle progression and mRNA processing has shown a restoration of the parental L951 disease and hyphal growth phenotypes. [Hannah Blyth, UoN PhD project]

• A library of random T-DNA integration Z. tritici mutants were previously screened for aberrant hyphal growth and reduced virulence. Targeted knockout of six candidate gene targets identified through whole genome sequencing did not cause a loss of virulence. Complementation experiments with 2 independent strains from this library with interruptions to ZtSSK2 restored virulence and hyphal growth [Hannah Blyth, UoN PhD project].

• In order to explore regulation of the key Z. tritici virulence effector 3LysM, we used mutants expressing GFP under the control of the 3LysM promoter. Factors which appear to influence expression include a cell wall glycosyltransferase, nutrient availability, infection stage (particularly hyphal development) and a putative upstream regulator. This will be further investigated using a Y1H assay to identify proteins interacting with the 3LysM promoter. [Luca Steel, UoN PhD project].

Take-all

• New RNAseq data have been generated during a comparative time-course experiment of the early root infection by Gaeumannomyces tritici and Gaeumannomyces hyphopodioides (days 2, 3 and 5). The data are currently been analysed to investigate wheat transcriptional changes in response to the infection by both fungi. A differential expression analysis has been performed and lists of differentially expressed wheat genes during the infection by both fungi have been obtained. These gene lists are now been further analysed to elucidate the wheat defence response activated during G. hyphopodiodes infection. This same data will also be used to investigate the fungal transcriptional reprograming during root infection once the reference genomes of both fungi are available.

Obj 2.2.5
Fusarium culmorum genome
• Comparative genomics of the chromosome-scale reference UK99 strain of F. culmorum identified transcriptionally active introgressions, in addition to the supernumerary fifth chromosome, that were mediated by transposons. These introgressions were absent from another F. culmorum strain and the rest of the clade. Clusters of these introgressions were found towards the end of chromosome 3, close to a region of high diversity in F. graminearum. But other significant introgression clusters were found in other regions of the genome and these introgressed sequences lacked F. graminearum orthologues.

Fusarium graminearum
• As part of a new SWBio PhD project (PhD student SWBio - Erika Kroll) to engineer gene-for-gene resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in wheat using a modified PBS1-RPS5 recognition system already well characterised in Arabidopsis-bacterial interactions, three Fg protease genes TPP1, MEP1 and CPA4 were bioinformatically identified to be highly up-regulated during wheat spike infection and were predicted to be secreted. Single Fg gene deletion mutants of TTP1 showed significantly reduced floral disease development, while the MEP1 and CPA4 mutants were not affected in virulence.

• For Fusarium graminearum, we established a rapid plasmid-free CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing method originally described by Foster et al, 2018 (doi 10.1038/s41598-018-32702-w) which had been developed for the rice blast fungus. We have shown that the Fg cyp51A gene can efficiently be deleted using a replacement cassette, consisting of two 40-mer oligonucleotides homologous to the target gene surrounding the cut site. The two oligos were fused to a hygromycin resistance marker and transformed directly with one or two guide RNAs and the Cas9 protein. The technique promises (1) more fine-tuned gene editing in Fg and (2) the simultaneous editing of multiple members of gene families to overcome the problems of genetic redundancy masking changes to phenotypes.

PHI-base
• New release of PHI-base occurred in May 2021 and Sept 2021 (www.phi-base.org). An additional 705 research papers were manually curated and increased the total number to 4387 research articles. The increase describes an additional 1284 pathogen genes and their phenotypes. In total, 10% of all described interactions in the database are wheat entries and provide gene function information for 20 wheat pathogens. Two articles were published in journal Nucleic Acids Research. One describes the increased content of PHI-base over the last two years and establishing a new web interface allowing new data types to be displayed (phi5.phi-base.org). The other one includes the description of our joint project with ENSEMBL GENOMES describing PHI-base data display within the ENSEMBL bacteria, ENSEMBL fungi, ENSEMBL protists and ENSEMBL Plants browsers.

Obj 2.2.6
Zymoseptoria tritici
• We have re-sequenced and performed mutational (snp / indel) analysis on 39 new Z. tritici UV mutants which have (1) compromised cell wall strength, (2) an inability to transition to hyphae and (3) inability to infect susceptible wheat. A range of candidate genes have been identified including both novel and previously known regulators of fungal cell wall functions. A number of these targets are currently being experimentally validated.

• We have identified three independent Zymoseptoria strains bearing loss of function mutations in the light regulatory protein white collar -1 (WC-1). All these strains have morphological defects and cannot infect wheat. Complementation of all three strains (1 natural mutant; 1T-DNA mutant and 1 REMI mutant) are underway - (PhD Hannah Blyth; Uni Kiel; Uni Exeter)


Obj2.2.8
VOX
• We have demonstrated that the plant virus derived expression vector we recently developed could be used for expression of not only heterologous proteins but also for systemic expression of plant proteins in wheat. Moreover, we also demonstrated that this transient expression system could be used to manipulate agronomic traits (e.g. height, flowering time) in wheat, and potentially other monocot crops. This data has been published in Nature Plants, as part of a larger story involving several collaborating organisations focussed on the range of dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous crops.

CRISPR/Cas
• We have successfully established CRISPR/Cas as a reverse genetics tool in a number of spring and winter varieties and performed targeted mutagenesis of a few genes involved in disease resistance (Hahn et al. (2021) Plants 10(7):1481 https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10071481). We have also published a book chapter entitled "A Modular Cloning Toolkit for Genome Editing in Cereals" (Hahn et al. (2022) Springer Protocols Handbooks; Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1526-3_10).

Take-all
• A virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system for wheat roots is currently being trialled. Genes thought to be involved in root architecture (TaDGL1, TaCOI1, TaRHD3) are being targeted for silencing in Chinese Spring. If successful, the new system will allow for future investigation of candidate G. tritici resistance genes in wheat, as identified by RNAseq.

• A protocol to obtain high protoplast yields has been optimised for G. tritici. The protoplast transformation is now being optimised. This protocol will allow us to test CRISPR/CAS9 gene editing in G. tritici by transforming the protoplasts with Cas9 pre-complexed to guide RNAs in the form of ribonucleoproteins. 2023 entry 2023 entry During the year, we have provided BBSRC Swindon office with a google.doc site, which lists all our DFW outputs (including data access sites, germplasm generated, datasets generated, publications, and public engagement activities as they occur). This document is updated by us on a regular basis. All the objectives during the DFW reporting period have been met, and many exceeded. All the committees within DFW are running well including the key data coordination task force (DCTF) and Breeder's toolkit committees, both with WP2 representation.

2023 entry
WP2.1
Obj 2.1.4.
A candidate gene for the 6B high soluble AX QTL has been identified and preliminary data published. This has allowed the development of a perfect KASP marker for breeders.
Fine mapping of the 1B high AX QTL is in progress using Watkins x Paragon crosses and data from the WaySeq project.
New work has been initiated on a 3D high AX QTL identified by INRA.

Obj 2.1.5
A detailed analysis of ß-glucan structure in bran and white flour has been completed and a manuscript prepared for publication.
Previous analyses of modern and older genotypes and crosses between modern bread wheats have shown little variation in ß-glucan amount and structure. We are therefore screening the Watkins collection for variation in AX amount and structure using enzyme fingerprinting.
Obj 2.1.7.
Analysis of data from extensive field trials (including Watkins x Paragon NAM populations) have identified novel QTLs for mineral concentration in grain and an "atlas" of mineral QTLs is being prepared for publication.

Obj 2.1.8
The locations of Fe and Zn in developing and mature wheat grains have been determined using NanoSIMS (with University of Manchester) and LA-ICPMS (With Kings College, London).

Obj 2.1.9.
The expression patterns of Zn transporters in developing grain have been determined and functional characterisation of selected transporters is in progress. Lines with triple mutations in the ZIP7 and MTP1 transporter genes have been produced and will be used for preliminary function studies. BC2F1 plants of these ZIP7 and MTP1 lines are growing in the glasshouse.

WP2.2
Obj 2.2.1
Zymoseptoria tritici
• New GFP and RFP expressing strains of Z. tritici used to investigate disease resistant mechanisms. Data suggests inhibition of Avr fungi around stomatal penetration. [Henry Tidd; iCASE PhD project]
• Publication of isolate vs cultivar screen which reported the most useful Stb genes against current UK isolate collection (Henry James Tidd, Jason Rudd, Rumiana Valcheva Ray, Ruth Bryant, Kostya Kanyuka. (2002) A Large Bioassay Identifies Stb Resistance Genes that Provide Broad Resistance against Septoria Tritici Blotch Disease in the UK. Frontiers Plant Sci Volume 13 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1070986) [Henry Tidd; iCASE PhD project]
• First datasets from efforts to isolate non-host immune receptors returned. Optimal timings for sampling determined through monitoring the kinetics of effector induced plant MAPK activation [Alina Igna, UoN PhD project]
• RNAseq analysis performed on 3 effectors preceding cell death induction in tobacco revealed different mechanisms. Article published - Thomas Welch, Carlos Bayon, Jason J. Rudd, Kostya Kanyuka & Graeme J. Kettles. (2022). Induction of distinct plant cell death programs by secreted proteins from the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Scientific Reports volume 12, Article number: 17880.
Take-all
• Root system assessment for take-all disease severity for the three years (2015 - 2017) of the Paragon x Watkins 777 mapping population field trial have been completed and are awaiting combined statistical analysis. A seed multiplication field trial of the mapping population was drilled on 1st Dec 2022 for use as a seed source in a third wheat take-all field trial for QTL analysis to be drilled in autumn 2023.

• Five elite winter wheat varieties, Watkins 488, 487 and 777 as well as Triticum monococcum lines MDR31 (highly resistant) and MDR43 (susceptible) were evaluated in a first versus third wheat field trial that was drilled in Sept 2021. Also, included in the field trial were controls Hereward (highly susceptible), triticale (moderately resistant) and rye (highly resistant). Following a mild winter and spring the take-all disease pressure was high with disease symptoms visible in third wheat plots as early as March 2022. Young plant samples (GS22-27) collected in March were assessed for take-all root disease. KWS Extase and KWS Zyatt were the most susceptible wheat varieties with disease infection levels comparable to Hereward (40% total infected roots). The highly resistant rye control had 5% total infected roots. Watkins 777 was the most resistant wheat line with disease levels comparable to triticale (25% total infected roots). This is the first observation that Watkins 777 displays some level of take-all resistance in young wheat plants. The best performing elite varieties were RAGT Skyfall and Syngenta Gleam with 29% and 30% total infected roots, respectively.
Adult plant samples were collected at the grain filling stage (June 2023) and 60% of the root systems have been assessed for take-all disease to date. Gaeumannomyces tritici isolates were recovered from infected root lesions from both symptomless and diseased take-all patches in selected third wheat plots and are currently undergoing characterisation by PCR into either Type A or Type B. At the same time rhizosphere soil samples were taken for amplicon sequencing and bacterial cultivation.

Planned post-harvest soil coring of the field trial was abandoned due to the hot and dry summer. Instead, a bucket of soil was collected from each of the highly infected third wheat plots 1 - 24 for the recovery of Gt isolates. Soil from these plots has been baited with Hereward, rye and blackgrass seeds in order to recover Gt isolates that infect each grass species. To date Hereward infecting Gt isolates have been PCR typed as Type A or Type B.

The take-all team hired a new leader in summer 2022 due to the sudden resignation of Dr Javier Palma-Guerrero, who left in June 2022. The new Take-all Leader Dr Nida Ghori a specialist in wheat genetics and both above and below ground biotic interactions joined Rothamsted in October 2022 from Kansas State University, USA.


Aphid/Barley Yellow Dwarf (BYDV) resistance

• Aphid-resistant T. monococcum (Tm) and two Watkins lines progressed:

• Tm MDR049 prioritised with high aphid knockdown, and phenotyping optimised for mapping populations. Outputs from populations considered viable for QTL mapping. Historic data also available and pursued via new genotyping platforms. This will assist with marker development/complement validated KASP markers.

• Watkins, W624 and W068, indicated to have aphid resistance from three years' field work or behavioural studies (Gia Aradottir/Amma Simons). F6 mapping populations developed in DFW WP3 with efforts undertaken to establish germplasm-specific phenotyping. Aphid behavioural characterisation suggests antifeedant effect(s) for this material.

• Tm-specific SNPs identified from WGIN promotome data. SNPs include Tm MDR031 and MDR308, lines with valuable non-aphid-resistance traits. SNPs will be validated for use as required for trait mapping and monitoring Tm-wheat introgression. 148 distinct and informative loci located across the genome.

• SWBio DTP CASE PhD associated with RAGT Seeds Ltd and University of Bristol progressed into Yr2 with significantly foundation made for future work:

• Optimisations for mutagenesis conditions accomplished for MutChromSeq method, to be employed for BYDV resistance mapping. BYDV-resistant wheat mutagenised and being progressed to later generations wherein BYDV-challenging/resistance phenotyping assays will be undertaken.

• 75% of key UK BYDV variant genome sequenced. Trials undertaken to obtain the remaining recalcitrant N and C regions of the genome. This will provide first complete UK BYDV genome, proving highly useful for developing related tools, i.e infectious clones.
• Aphid sampling from Rothamsted Insect Survey used to explore BYDV variation further. UK-wide samples across years 2020-2022 now represented. New BYDV variants identified within the UK, and associated virus-carrying clonal aphid cultures started at RRes.
• Refined BYDV diagnostics developed as new BYDV coat protein sequencing data generated. Assays based on KASP genotyping chemistry to provide immediate deployment options to industry. However, Taqman and LAMP-based alternatives also explored.
Obj2.2.2
Fusarium graminearum.

• In an aligned PhD project, F. graminearum PH-1 mutants lacking individual candidate effector genes have been made and the single gene deletants ?FgSSP53 and ?FgSSP34 both shows reduced virulence on wheat floral tissue and coleoptiles. Whereas the double gene deletants ?FgSSP53 ?FgSSP34 showed restored wildtype virulence on wheat spikes but remained reduced in virulence on the coleoptiles. These results indicate that for floral virulence once the F. graminearum hyphae are no longer able to produce the SSP53 and SSP34 effectors then a genetically distinct alternative infection pathway is successfully activated. [Claire Kanja, UoN PhD project, successfully defended her thesis in Nov 2022, external examiner Sophien Kamoun, TSL, Norwich].
•
• To confirm FgSSP41 mitochondrial localisation. FgSSP41 was co-infiltrated with different organelles markers in N. benthamiana and subcellular localisation was evaluated by confocal microscopy. We found that FgSSP41 localises in the chloroplast and not in the mitochondria. We also found that FgSSP41 localised in the stroma by using different chloroplast markers. These result allowed us to devise within a new PhD project ( to commence in Sept 2023 the development of new bioinformatic tools that can accurately predict the subcellular localisation of fungal effectors. Another effector of high interest FgSSP39 was fused to HA tag to continue with the functional characterisation. The fusion FgSSP39-HA was able to produce cell death in N. benthamiana. Therefore, the role(s) of FgSSP39 in plant immunity will be explored. Part of this project was done by the BSPP summer bursary project supervised by Martin Darino and Dan Smith.

• We have observed in several studies where Fg genes functions were characterised that integration of expression cassettes occurs randomly. Ectopic integration of the cassette can disrupt gene/ protein functions and thus the overall conclusions of the study. We developed a vector system for target site integration (TSI) in a chromosomic region of Fg. Insertion of the expression cassette in this chromosomic region (TSI locus1) does not alter either fungal growth or fungal virulence. Integrations in the TSI lcous1 allow the expression of different genes fusions and activities of virulence specific promoters were not altered by integration into the TSI locus1. Finally, we established a protocol to study protein secretion in wheat coleoptiles using confocal microscopy and the TSI locus1 for stable expression of different gene fusions. Hence, the TSI locus1 can be used for diverse studies including promoter activity analysis, secretion and gene complementation and localisation studies. The vector system has been also used in multiple ongoing F. graminearum research projects in the team.

• A new SWBio PhD project aligned to DFW/DSW will commenced in September 2023. Jade Smith will focus on exploring Fusarium graminearum effectors and their target sites inside plant cells using both wet biology and in silico approaches.

• Our previous DSW studies (reported in 2021) suggests that fructans remobilise to the wheat spikes may act as susceptibility factors during Fusarium infection and 6-SFT gene may play important role in this process. Therefore, we identified homozygous Cadenza TILLING lines which harbour single stop codon mutation in the three 6-SFT homoeologues on 4AL, 7AS and 7DS, respectively. After inter-crossing, F2 double homozygous mutants 6-SFT 4AL/7DS, 7AS/7DS and 4AL/7AS as well as wild type segregants were identified. Phenotyping of double and generation of triple 6-SFT mutants by further intercrossing is in progress.
Obj2.2.4
Zymoseptoria tritici

• ZtSSk2 proven to biochemically activate Hog1 MAPK, and control expression of large numbers of early in planta expressed genes. Paper submitted for publication in Frontiers Plant Sci [Hannah Blyth, UoN PhD project- completed].

• Fungal autophagy determined to be dispensable for leaf infection by Z. tritici, although one autophagy gene played role in supporting virulence by other means. Article published- (Harry T. Childa, Michael J. Deeksa, Ken Haynes, Jason J. Rudd, Steven Batesa (2022). Distinct roles for different autophagy-associated genes in the virulence of the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Fungal Genetics and Biology 163, 103748). [Harry Child, SWbiO PhD project- completed].

• A new collection of >25,000 UV mutants generated in combination with Industry partner which has been genome sequenced in pools of 48 strains to generate mutation rate data for all Z. tritici genes.

• A series of signalling mutants generated in 3LysM promoter GFP strains to investigate gene regulation and to be tested under stress conditions. [Luca Steel, UoN PhD project].

• RNAseq analysis performed during attempted infection by 3LysM KO mutants vs WT strains reveals links to the expression of other candidate effectors. [Luca Steel, UoN PhD project].

• Putative 3LysM orthologues from different fungal species identified and assembled into transformation constructs to test for similar functionality in supporting virulence. [Luca Steel, UoN PhD project].

• We have generated multiple independent KO transformants in 7 new Zt genes likely affecting metabolic and biosynthetic pathways, to next be tested for any altered virulence on wheat.

Fusarium graminearum
In an aligned PhD project, communication mechanisms between fungal pathogens and plant cells are being explored with a special focus on plasmodesmatal connections. In this project, the trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) has been linked to plasmodesmatal traversing by Fusarium hyphae early during host-tissue colonisation. This aspect of the infection process is required for full virulence in wheat floral spikes. DON is known to be a broad-spectrum protein translation inhibitor. Therefore, we are exploring specific interactions between excreted F. graminearum proteins, DON and plasmodesmata to elucidate this interaction further through bioinformatic and experimental approaches. In addition, this project is exploring the role of a sub-set of cell wall components in an Arabidopsis - F. graminearum pathosystem that have been identified as important in other plant pathogen interactions by utilising the germplasm resources of the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre (NASC) and homozygous seed stock donations from other research groups. Identified components modulating the infection process identified in this ongoing screen will be taken forward by orthologous gene disruption in wheat using the BSMV-VIGS or BSMV-VOX based systems (as appropriate). The overall aim of this approach is to identify unique components to the wheat-Fg interaction that can be used to enhance resistant in wheat [Victoria Armer, SWBio DTP project].

• In an aligned PhD project, tissue specific host-pathogen protein interactions are being explored using a systems biology approach. Using a pre-published RNA sequencing dataset, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to generate the first fungal pathogen/crop dual co-expression networks in wheat. Virulence specific modules were identified and by studying these modules, we discovered a previously uncharacterised hub gene encoding for a cell wall regulatory protein (FgCWP1). Deletion of FgCWP1 resulted in a defective growth phenotype in vitro and loss of pathogenicity in planta, i.e. restriction of Fg colonisation to the inoculated spikelet, even through the Fg hyphae were still able to produce the DON mycotoxin [Erika Kroll, SWBio DTP project].



Take-all

• Candidate genes identified by RNAseq revealed wheat cell wall biosynthesis related genes may play important role by comparing transcriptome after G.hyphopodiodes and G. tritici colonisation. First three candidates upregulated by G. hyphopodiodes but no response to G. tritici were selected and validated by Virus-Induced gene silencing. Based on three independent experiments, silencing of TaCESA7-like (Cellulose Synthase 7-like) resulted in reduced take-all disease and significantly improved root architecture. We are repeating the experiment to confirm the results with statistical significance.

Obj 2.2.5
Fusarium culmorum genome
In 2022, additional PacBio and Illumina sequences were obtained for a number of additional incompletely assembled F. culmorum genomes from non-UK strains that had been placed in the public domain without an accompanying publication. Studies are ongoing to intercompare these genomes. An advance manuscript draft has been prepared. A Knetminer version of the F. culmorum UK99 strain genome has been made publically available.

Fusarium graminearum
• As part of a new SWBio PhD project (PhD student SWBio - Erika Kroll) to engineer gene-for-gene resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in wheat using a modified PBS1-RPS5 recognition system already well characterised in Arabidopsis-bacterial interactions, three Fg protease genes TPP1, MEP1 and CPA4 were bioinformatically identified to be highly up-regulated during wheat spike infection and were predicted to be secreted. Single Fg gene deletion mutants of TTP1 showed significantly reduced floral disease development, while the MEP1 and CPA4 mutants were not affected in virulence.

As a result of the datasets generated in 2021/2022 in DFW and this PhD project a new joint project with the USA was won and this started in February 2023 - UKRI/BBSRC-NSF/BIO Determining the Roles of Fusarium Effector Proteases in Plant Pathogenesis - BB/X012131/1



Take-all genomes
• We have previously reported on (a) sampling wild grasses from the Rothamsted long term grassland experiment and have identified ~80 grass root fungi, many of which are related to the Take-all wheat pathogen and (b) cultured wheat root fungi to describe their interaction with wheat roots and Take-all (biocontrol). In the past year we have completed the following:
• We have developed a fungal high molecular weight extraction protocol (shared with DtoL) that was used to generate HiFi sequencing libraries for 20 fungal isolates.
• We have completed whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing of five Gaeumannomyces tritici strains (wheat Take-all), including a combination of both Type A and Type B, in addition to two Gaeumannomyces avenae and two Gaeumannomyces hyphopodioides strains. We have also included genome and transcriptome sequencing of ten additional species, identified on wild grasses from the RRes long term grassland experiment with Take-all disease related antagonistic properties.
• We have produced de novo genome assemblies for all strains and annotated gene models using a novel iterative approach which consolidates evidence from multiple strains sequenced in the same pipeline.
• We have hired a Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Rowena Hill, to complete functional annotation of the gene models, produce the first pangenome for G. tritici, and perform comparative genomics analyses to identify genetic factors underlying pathogenicity.

PHI-base

• PHI-base version 4.13 and version 4.14 was released in May 2022 and September 2022, respectively. Compared to version 4.12, released in September 2021, we curated an additional 582 pathogen genes and 1691 pathogen-host interactions taken from 460 references (publications). This increased the total number of articles in PHI-base to 4847 research articles. 10% of all interactions (2008 from 19,885) listed in the database are wheat entries and provide gene function information for 20 wheat pathogens. Data migration from PHI-base to our new gene-centric version of PHI-base (PHI-base 5) is ongoing.

Obj 2.2.6
Zymoseptoria tritici

• Pan genome analysis on Z. tritici completed with novel angle of using mutation rates to prioritise likely importance of core gene sets. The approach was experimentally validated by genetic complementation assays on a 5 gene deletion mutant - Article published - Chen, H. 1,3, King R.*1, Smith., D.*1, Bayon, C.1, Ashfield T.1,4, Torriani, S.2, Kanyuka, K.1,5, Hammond-Kosack K.E.1, Bieri, S.2 and Rudd J.J#1. (2022) Combined pangenomics and transcriptomics reveals core and redundant virulence processes in a rapidly evolving fungal plant pathogen. BMC Biology 21(1): 24; doi: 10.1186/s12915-023-01520-6.

• Pan genome analysis prioritised 80 candidate effectors for screen for plant necrosis induction by VOX. No evidence for necrotrophic effector activity was provided suggesting alternative or redundant roles for many effectors - Article published - Chen, H. 1,3, King R.*1, Smith., D.*1, Bayon, C.1, Ashfield T.1,4, Torriani, S.2, Kanyuka, K.1,5, Hammond-Kosack K.E.1, Bieri, S.2 and Rudd J.J#1. (2022) Combined pangenomics and transcriptomics reveals core and redundant virulence processes in a rapidly evolving fungal plant pathogen. BMC Biology 21(1): 24; doi: 10.1186/s12915-023-01520-6.


• Five independent genes validated as being responsible for reduced cell wall strength and loss of virulence which emerged from the UV mutagenesis screen. One shared with Fusarium graminearum. A further 11 genes are currently being tested.

• We have finalised a community re-annotation process for Zt reference strain IPO323 to be submitted for publication and then public release

• We have piloted a new pool-seq approach to potentially identify novel path genes using our 25,000 UV mutant collection of Zt. Initial experiments determined the minimum number of leaves which must be infected to provide enough DNA for pcr-free library genomic re-sequencing after passage of mutant pools through plants.


Obj2.2.8
VOX
No further improvements
CRISPR/Cas
• We have generated T1 lines carrying CRISPR/Cas-induced indels in Ta-eIF4E and Ta-eIF(iso)4E S-genes and the lines are currently being phenotyped for resistance to Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV) by Dragan Perovic at JKI, Germany.

Take-all
• A virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system for wheat roots is currently being trialled. Genes thought to be
Exploitation Route 2018 entry
• At Rothamsted the new phenotyping method using used multispectral imaging to detect aphids and subsequent virus infections will be developed further to establish if this could be used as for a more accurate, high throughput laboratory and field phenotyping platform for use by industry.
• Rothamsted has started to use the new reference F. graminearum genome to develop the 1st pangenome for this species using full genome information available for 21 additional strains, in collaboration with EMBRAPA Brazil. This will be used to select the core, monomorphic virulence genes that can be used to generate the HIGS constructs
• Rothamsted has already followed up in obj 2.2.6 with a comparative genomic analysis between the pathogenic species F. graminearum and the closely related non-pathogenic species F. venenatum (the Quorn fungus). This was specifically done to identify the genes and secondary metabolite gene clusters that are unique to the pathogenic species and those specific to this industrially important source of mycoprotein for human consumption. Both lines of enquiry have potential industrial applications.

2019 and 2020 entry

• In a collaboration with Leicester, JIC, and Bristol, Rothamsted have demonstrated that BSMV-mediated VIGS is effective in inducing silencing of meiotic genes in wheat, with the resulting phenotypes phenocopying mutations induced through CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. This will accelerate research aimed to unravel the mechanisms governing meiotic crossover frequency and manipulating crossover frequency and distribution in wheat.
• Following publication of a patent and a research paper describing development of the new FoMV-derived vector for protein expression in wheat and other cereals by Rothamsted (Bouton et al, (2018) Plant Physiology), this vector has been requested to date by 27 academics working on different aspects of cereals biology worldwide, with 18 of these requests already fulfilled. We have also been approached by academics and a large AgBiotech company with regard of potential collaboration in this area. BBSRC Pathfinder funding was used to commission a market analysis for FoMV use by industry. Various options have been discussed on how to take this forward.
• Selected EMS and gamma-irradiated mutants of wheat Taichung 29 and Paragon, respectively, showing reduced susceptibility to STB will be genetically characterised and then shared with breeders through the DFW Breeder's Toolkit.
• We will interact with potential partners in the agrochemical industry to evaluate the possible control of STB disease through targeted inhibition of fungal Lysine biosynthesis
• We will test candidate mutated genes to identify those potentially responsible for abnormal fungal cell walls in Zymoseptoria and their subsequent failure to cause STB disease on wheat. We will seek potential partners in the agrochemical industry to evaluate the possible control of STB disease through targeted attack (or block in production) on the fungal cell wall.
• The identified in planta induced F. graminearum secondary metabolite genes can be tested for their role in wheat disease and are potential novel fungicide targets.
• With the ongoing increase in the number of wheat host target genes curated in PHI-base this resource could be linked to datasets hosted within CerealsDB at Bristol as well as Ensembl Plants allowing users to monitor the presence/absence of host resistance genes in wheat cultivars as well as the emerging fully sequenced additional wheat genomes.
• Lines containing resistance against take-all disease will be shared with breeders via the DFW Breeder's Toolkit.
• Image analysis could be used by both academics and industry for a more accurate high throughput phenotyping method to screen germplasm for resistance against take-all disease and/or evaluate the efficacy of biological control agents and novel chemistries.
• Watkins landraces with resistance to cereal aphids are being included in the DFW breeder's Toolkit, where mapping populations will be created. These will be used to map the resistance trait for the aphid resistance, which if successful will then be available for inclusion in commercial modern wheat cultivars breeding programmes.
• BBSRC Pathfinder funding was used to commission a market analysis for remote detection of aphid infestations on plants. Primary and secondary research identified strong interest in the multispectral imaging system and a clear need for rapid and early detection of aphid or viral damage in multiple crop species. Several of the companies/organisations approached recognised the systems benefits both for crop monitoring and plant breeding purposes. We are currently considering the best ways to take this work and these various commercial opportunities forward.
• With a future increase in the number of wheat host target genes curated into the Pathogen Host-Interactions Database (PHI-base), (1350 interaction entries (12%)), the resource can be linked to CerealsDB hosted at Bristol allowing users to monitor the presence/absence of host resistance genes in > 500 wheat lines a considerable number of which are current or former commercial varieties. This could become a regular activity within the BBSRC ISP Designing Future Wheat (DFW).

2022 entry
Narrative impact
WP2.1
The application of the 1B and 6B QTL for high total and soluble AX is being evaluated in a LINK project (with 4 breeders, 2 millers/bakers and 2 Industry associations) (BB/T013923/1 Delivering high dietary fibre via improved wheat cultivars and products). This has established the distribution of high AX alleles in Northern European wheat breeding germplasm and is introgressing the high AX alleles into advanced lines for breeding. The impact on milling and baking is also being assessed.

Industry partners are also contributing to a new BBSRC project led by the University of Reading which is modelling the impact of new high fibre varieties on the UK food chain (BB/W01792X/ Increasing UK Dietary Fibre - The Case for the Great White British Loaf)

Our studies of increasing fibre in white flour also form the basis for a new collaborative initiative with breeders, processors and nutritionists in the USA: the "Coalition for Grain Fibre" (https://fihf.org).

WP2.2

A comprehensive Zymoseptoria tritici (Zt) - wheat cultivar screen just published reports on the most useful Stb resistance genes to be effective against current UK isolates (Tidd et al, (2022) Frontiers Plant Sci. These results clearly indicate to UK based wheat breeding companies which Stb resistance genes should be incorporated into UK breeding programmes and which are likely to be ineffective.

The experimental control species rye grown in the replicated 1st vis 3rd wheat trial revealed that although rye has only very low take-all root infections, < 5% in high disease pressure when grown in a 3rd wheat situations, when grown as a 1st cereal in the rotation, rye builds up takeall inoculum in the rhizosphere soil. Therefore, rye is not suitable as a break crop species in a wheat dominated rotation because wheat crops sown after rye would be at risk of severe damage to root systems by wheat attacking take-all isolates. This new knowledge was unexpected and was immediately disseminated to farmers, farm advisors and crop agronomists at the annual cereals event in Cambridge in June 2022.

A new collection of >25,000 UV mutants of Zymoseptoria tritici was generated in combination with an industry partner. This has been genome sequenced in pools of 48 strains to generate mutation rate data for all Z. tritici genes. The entire collection has been replicated and stored at Rothamsted to provide a unique global resource for an emerging pathogenic model species that can be used by industry and academics to explore a huge range of topics and / or innovation ideas in fungal biology and / or pathogen - host interactions.
A systems biology approach was successfully used to explore tissue specific host-pathogen protein interactions. This study used pre-published RNA sequencing dataset and a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to generate the first fungal pathogen/crop dual co-expression networks in wheat. This dual network was then used to predict virulence specific modules and by studying these modules using a fungal genomics approach, a previously uncharacterised hub gene was shown to be a virulence gene essential for Fusarium graminearum colonisation of wheat spikes. The same type of WGCNA approach could immediately be used by industry to identify hub genes with a role in virulence in any host-pathogen interaction where in planta RNA-seq data already pre-exists.

We have established an effective BSMV-VIGS system to achieve gene silencing in wheat root system that could now be used by others in academia and industry for a wide range of pressing non-pathology uses. For example, to explore the function of genes and gene families of interest in healthy root systems in water or nutrient uptake and overall root system growth, or in recovery / protection of root systems following exposed to various individual or combined abiotic stresses, e.g. drought, heat, water logging, salinity, soil compaction, excessive above ground wind speed.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Environment

Healthcare
URL https://designingfuturewheat.org.uk/
 
Description 2018 entry The wheat Stb6 sequence which confers resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici was shared with the UK wheat breeding community prior to publication. the breeding industry therefore already knows which elite wheat germplasm harbors this still useful resistance gene. 2019 entry The newly sequenced and annotated wheat genome is being used for a wide array of academic and industry purposes. 2020 The new wheat training portal (http://www.wheat-training.com/) has been fully updated and provides a wealth of protocols and information on wheat resources to new and established wheat researchers. Rothamsted Research and WP2 provided information for the functional genomics section. 2021 The ISP is in its fourth year and as such the finding are currently being taken up by breeders and industry. We have had several in depth meeting with representatives of the major UK and European breeding companies to discuss the latest developments and germplasm which will become available over the next few years. To ensure that findings are translated into outcomes we work with breeders to develop markers for selection and also transfer pre-breeding germplasm which they can take forward without the need for extensive preliminary work for evaluation. We constantly engage with other actors in the agricultural, food and drinks industry to make them aware of our current advances and identify opportunities. We expect that several of the key findings reported in the previous section will be taken up in different forms by industry. Aphids The Watkins landraces with resistance to cereal aphids have been pursued further via the DFW Breeders' Toolkit with the intention of including material within commercial modern wheat cultivar breeding programmes. This germplasm has been developed to the F4 population stage following initial crosses between informative plant lines. These populations will be investigated and their potential use in mapping aphid resistance to regions of the wheat genome determined. If successful, trait mapping will allow future characterisation of potential gene candidates underpinning aphid resistance. Future validation of resistance-linked markers will also be valuable for use by industry. Similarly, KASP markers developed for use with aphid-resistant T. monococcum material will enable mapping of this alternate resistance and could be directly employed by industry. Further characterisation/mapping of aphid resistance(s) will perhaps establish new avenues for research, such as additional volatile organic compound-based work, by elucidating original modes-of-action or likely candidate genes. Beneficial and detrimental root associated fungi The grass root fungal sequencing will allow us to assemble and annotate new genomes that, combined with wheat infection phenotype data, will bring us closer to understanding the genes required to infect wheat roots as opposed to other wild grasses. With RRes, our ITS tree of non-wheat infecting root fungi is being used to classify infection phenotypes on wheat. The aim is to build an understanding of the genes present in a fungus (identified on a wild grass) that can invade the wheat root. The extra novel diversity (which we are not sequencing) is also being considered for inclusion into the Darwin Tree of Life program (discussions underway) An invention disclosure has been written which cover several soil dwelling species of fungi recovered from wheat fields that are highly antagonistic towards the Take-all root infecting fungus. Genome editing technology for wheat Following publication of the manuscript reporting on a molecular toolkit for genome editing applications in monocots and dicots (Hahn et al., BMC Plant Biology. 2020;20:179), more than 30 project leaders from different countries have requested the toolkit components. In addition, four international exchanges have taken place between RRes and the U. of Bari (Italy), Nicolaus Copernicus U. (Poland), ICRISAT (India) and ICAR-IARI (India) with researchers from these organisations doing internships at RRes and learning how to apply the CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology in wheat and other crops. 2022 entry Zymoseptoria tritici Interactions have taken place with several AgChem companies and range of collaborative projects are now in place that exploit the Z.tritici pan-genome and the UV mutagenised Z.tritici population both of which were developed within DFW WP2.2. 2023 entry WP2.1 The application of the 1B and 6B QTL for high total and soluble AX is being evaluated in a LINK project (with 4 breeders, 2 millers/bakers and 2 Industry associations) (BB/T013923/1 Delivering high dietary fibre via improved wheat cultivars and products). This has established the distribution of high AX alleles in Northern European wheat breeding germplasm and is introgressing the high AX alleles into advanced lines for breeding. The impact on milling and baking is also being assessed. Industry partners are also contributing to a new BBSRC project led by the University of Reading which is modelling the impact of new high fibre varieties on the UK food chain (BB/W01792X/ Increasing UK Dietary Fibre - The Case for the Great White British Loaf) Our studies of increasing fibre in white flour also form the basis for a new collaborative initiative with breeders, processors and nutritionists in the USA: the "Coalition for Grain Fibre" (https://fihf.org). WP2.2
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment
Impact Types Economic
 
Description 2021-BBSRC/NSF-BIO: Host Immunity as a Driver of Virulence Evolution in Cereal Rust Fungi
Amount £650,716 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/W018403/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2022 
End 01/2025
 
Description A FAIR community resource for pathogens, hosts and their interactions to enhance global food security and human health
Amount £557,820 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/S020020/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2019 
End 06/2023
 
Description AHDB - Student bursary - Identification of BYDV resistance in wheat
Amount £10,000 (GBP)
Funding ID AHDB Contract 211300 - final published student report No 50 May 2020 
Organisation Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2019 
End 03/2020
 
Description BB/GCRF-IAA/17/18
Amount £3,600 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/GCRF-IAA/17/18 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2017 
End 02/2018
 
Description BBSRC - IPG - Large Equipment - QRT-PCR machine
Amount £2,837,000 (GBP)
Funding ID IGP20-023 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 07/2020 
End 03/2021
 
Description BBSRC Estates Business Case - Repairs to Building 58 - the Field trials laboratory for Plant Pathology research -
Amount £432,000 (GBP)
Funding ID BC20-022 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2020 
End 02/2021
 
Description BBSRC Institute Strategic Programme Grant
Amount £16,000,000 (GBP)
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2017 
End 03/2022
 
Description BBSRC Pathfinder Follow-on Fund
Amount £13,989 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/R012393/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2017 
End 12/2017
 
Description BSPP summary Bursary award - 2022 - Jade Smith - Wheat phenotyping during root infection by take-all and functional characterization of wheat defence genes
Amount £4,000 (GBP)
Organisation The British Society of Plant Pathology 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2022 
End 08/2022
 
Description BSPP summary Bursary award - 2022 - Max Fontaine - Investigating the role of cell wall components in response to Fusarium graminearum infection
Amount £3,300 (GBP)
Organisation The British Society of Plant Pathology 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2022 
End 08/2022
 
Description BSPP summary bursary 2022 - Amber Gunter - Identification of the Subcellular localisation of Fungal Pathogen Effectors
Amount £4,000 (GBP)
Organisation The British Society of Plant Pathology 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2022 
End 09/2022
 
Description Catalysing collaborations between wheat scientists in the UK and Central Asia
Amount £10,081 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/R020981/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2018 
End 06/2018
 
Description Deciphering the mechanisms of non-host resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici
Amount £70,000 (GBP)
Funding ID 2270840 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2019 
End 09/2023
 
Description Defra - Genetic improvement networks for UK crops ( WGIN) CH0106
Amount £1,004,907 (GBP)
Organisation Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2015 
End 03/2018
 
Description Defra - Genetic improvement networks for UK crops (WGIN 3) CH0106
Amount £1,004,907 (GBP)
Funding ID CH0106 
Organisation Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2015 
End 03/2018
 
Description Defra Genetic Improvement Networks - WGIN phase 4 (CH0109) Improving the resilience of the wheat crop through genetics and targeted traits analysis
Amount £1,700,000 (GBP)
Organisation Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2018 
End 01/2023
 
Description Delivering Sustainable Wheat: Delivering Resilience to Biotic Stress (Rothamsted Research)
Amount £575,550 (GBP)
Funding ID BBS/E/RH/230001B 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2023 
End 03/2028
 
Description Development of new tools to detect and quantify five wheat infecting Fusarium species for use in Southern Brazil
Amount £9,965 (GBP)
Funding ID Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Previously: UK-Brazil Partnership for Yield Stability & Protection in a Changing Climate (PYSP - N8085) 
Organisation Rothamsted Research 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2018 
End 03/2019
 
Description Evaluating imaging technology for detecting fungal colonisation of wheat roots and for assessing their impact on plant health (Niamh Kavanagh BSPP Summer bursary project)
Amount £2,000 (GBP)
Organisation Rothamsted Research 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2018 
End 08/2018
 
Description Evaluating the potential of beneficial Gaeumannomyces species for the control of take all disease in wheat (student Tania Chancellor)
Amount £108,000 (GBP)
Organisation Rothamsted Research 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2017 
End 09/2021
 
Description Exploring resistance to take-all root disease in wheat by high throughput genotyping and functional characterisation of wheat defence genes
Amount £4,000 (GBP)
Organisation Royal Society of Biology (RSB) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2023 
End 09/2023
 
Description GCRF-IAA
Amount £5,250 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/GCRF-IAA/17/18 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2017 
End 02/2018
 
Description Impact Accelerator Award - Off the starting block @ Rothamsted Research
Amount £15,000 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/SCA/Rothamsted/17 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2017 
End 03/2018
 
Description Jade Smith - Investigating fungal pathogen effector localisation within plant cells - SWBioDTP 2023-2027
Amount £130,000 (GBP)
Funding ID 229139594 SWBio DTP Rothamsted studentship - University of Bath 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2023 
End 09/2027
 
Description Rothamsted Research: - (Karen Irawan) - Functional characterisation of candidate Fusarium graminearum effectors- BSPP Summer bursary project) (£ 1600; 2020 - 2020)
Amount £1,600 (GBP)
Organisation The British Society of Plant Pathology 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2020 
End 09/2020
 
Description Rothamsted Research: - (Nick Trenk - Identifying a source of genetic resistance to take-all disease from an ancestral wheat relative, Triticum monococcum- BSPP Summer bursary project) (£ 1800; 2020 - 2020)
Amount £1,800 (GBP)
Organisation The British Society of Plant Pathology 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 07/2020 
End 09/2020
 
Description SW-BioDTP - Izayana Sandoval-Carvajal - Investigating resistance to Barley yellow dwarf virus in wheat
Amount £140,000 (GBP)
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2021 
End 09/2025
 
Description SW-BioDTP - Victoria Armer - Exploring communication mechanisms between fungal pathogens and plant cells
Amount £120,000 (GBP)
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2020 
End 09/2024
 
Description SWBio-DTP - Erika Kroll - Fusarium disease of wheat - exploring tissue specific host-pathogen interactions using a systems biology approach.
Amount £120,000 (GBP)
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2020 
End 09/2024
 
Description The Genetics Society (UK) - Travel award to attend the IS-MPMI Congress Glasgow 14-18 th July 2019
Amount £750 (GBP)
Organisation Rothamsted Research 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2019 
End 07/2019
 
Description UKRI/BBSRC-NSF/BIO Determining the Roles of Fusarium Effector Proteases in Plant Pathogenesis
Amount £813,377 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/X012131/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2023 
End 01/2027
 
Description US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative project - Engineering Gene-for-Gene Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat and Barley. (Scofield, Helm and Innes)
Amount $57,200 (USD)
Organisation U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA 
Department Agricultural Research Service
Sector Public
Country United States
Start 06/2020 
End 09/2022
 
Description Understanding molecular basis of disease resistance against Septoria tritici blotch in wheat
Amount £70,000 (GBP)
Funding ID 1935414 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2017 
End 09/2021
 
Description Understanding the mechanisms underlying Host Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) in Fusarium graminearum (BSPP) Michael Grimwade-Mann (summer bursary project)
Amount £2,000 (GBP)
Organisation Rothamsted Research 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2018 
End 09/2018
 
Description Understanding the role of photoprotection in disease resistance to Septoria tritici blotch in wheat (PhD studentship / Dimitra Angelopoulou)
Amount £48,000 (GBP)
Organisation Perry Foundation 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2017 
End 09/2021
 
Description Young person apprenticeship - Jess Hammond Take-all Team leading to a college qualification as a Lab Technician Plant Pathology Level 3
Amount £42,000 (GBP)
Organisation Government of the UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2018 
End 09/2020
 
Title Foxtail mosaic virus: A New Viral Vector for Protein Expression in Wheat and Maize 
Description A new vector based on a monopartite single-stranded positive sense RNA virus, Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV, genus Potexvirus), have been developed. The gene of interest is inserted downstream of a duplicated sub-genomic promoter of the viral coat protein gene and the corresponding protein is expressed in its free form. This new vector, PV101, allowed expression of a 239 aa-long green fluorescent protein (GFP) in both virus inoculated and upper uninoculated (systemic) leaves of wheat and maize, and directed systemic expression of a larger ca. 600 aa protein GUSPlus in maize. Moreover, we demonstrated that PV101 can be used for in planta expression and functional analysis of apoplastic pathogen effector proteins such as host-specific toxin ToxA of a fungal pathogen Parastagonospora nodorum. 
Type Of Material Technology assay or reagent 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact This new plant virus-based vector opens new possibilities for functional genomics studies in two of the most important cereal crops. 
 
Title HMW DNA method for fungal tissues 
Description Through collaborations with Rothamsted Research, I modified a method for extracting high molecular weight DNA for long-read sequencing (PacBio HiFi reads) during the time I worked on the DFW project. Modifications included overnight lysis, a robust RNase-A digestion, Proteinase K digestion, twisting out DNA before washing and then splitting the sample during the wash phase. This worked well using the Nucleon PhytoPure and Macherey-Nagel kits. 
Type Of Material Technology assay or reagent 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact This new protocol developed through a collaboration between Rothamsted Research and Earlham has lead to the development of a robust protocol to isolate HMW DNA from a range of very difficult fungal species that can then be used for both PacBio and IIlumina sequence used to de novo assemble chromosome scale whole genomes from new species. We were able to share this protocol with scientists working on DToL fungi at Kew Gardens and Wellcome Sanger Trust. 
 
Title High Molecular Weight DNA extraction method for fungal tissues from soil dwelling species 
Description Through collaborations with Rothamsted Research, Michelle Grey modified a method for extracting high molecular weight DNA for long-read sequencing (PacBio HiFi reads) during the time she worked on the DFW project. Modifications included overnight lysis, a robust RNase-A digestion, Proteinase K digestion, twisting out DNA before washing and then splitting the sample during the wash phase. This worked well using the Nucleon PhytoPure and Macherey-Nagel kits. 
Type Of Material Technology assay or reagent 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact This new protocol developed through a collaboration between Rothamsted Research and Earlham has lead to the development of a robust protocol to isolate HMW DNA from a range of very difficult fungal species that can then be used for both PacBio and IIlumina sequence used to de novo assemble chromosome scale whole genomes from new species. This protocol is now being exploited in the Fungal Tree of life project. 
 
Title Identification of a locus for target site integration in Fusarium graminearum 
Description We developed a vector system for target site integration (TSI) in an intergenic chromosomic region of the Fg genome. Insertion of the expression cassette in this chromosomic region (TSI locus1) does not alter either fungal growth of fungal virulence. Integrations in the TSI locus1 allow the expression of different genes fusions and activities of virulence specific promoters were not altered by integration into the TSI locus 1. Complementation tests were successfully done on three test genes. Finally, we established a protocol to study protein secretion in wheat coleoptiles using confocal microscopy and the TSI locus1 for stable expression of different gene fusions. 
Type Of Material Technology assay or reagent 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The TSI locus1 can be used for diverse studies including promoter activity analysis, secretion and gene complementation and localisation studies. Therefore, the vector system has already been used in multiple ongoing BBSRC funded research projects in the laboratory. A PhD student and a postdoctoral researcher have successfully used the vector system for gene complementation studies. The vector system will also be used to study protein secretion in a new collaborative project with US researchers. The project aims to identify fungal secreted proteinases that can be used to engineer fungal resistance in wheat. The new vector system is available from ADDGene. 
URL https://doi.org/10.1186/s40694-024-00171-8
 
Title Method for expression of fungal effector proteins in planta 
Description The method involves expression of apoplastic fungal small secreted proteins (so called, effectors) in barley and wheat using the Barley stripe mosaic virus vector (BSMV). This method has been coined BSMV-VOX (Virus-mediated Over-eXpression). BSMV-VOX for example allows rapid identification of necrosis or cell death inducing fungal effectors in medium throughput screens. 
Type Of Material Model of mechanisms or symptoms - non-mammalian in vivo 
Year Produced 2015 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact To our knowledge there are currently no other tools available in the public domain that allow expression and functional analysis of apoplastic fungal effectors directly in planta, specifically in wheat and barley plants. Many academic researchers studying this type of effector proteins in pathogens and pests of cereal crops will benefit from availability of the BSMV-VOX tool. 
 
Title PHI-Canto 
Description This community curation tool and framework tool permits authors of in scope peer reviewed publication to manually enter all the data and findings from their publication into the open access PHI-base database, using controlled ontologies and evidence codes. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Highly fragment data sets on any pathogen host interaction or any chemical interaction with a pathogen species, published in all peer review articles is converted to FAIR data 
URL https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.84658
 
Title PHI-NETS 
Description Protein-Protein interaction Networks have been developed and published for 13 pathogenic ascomycete species that infect cereal and non-cereal species 
Type Of Material Model of mechanisms or symptoms - non-mammalian in vivo 
Year Produced 2019 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The new PHI-NET resource permits for the 1st time comparative genomics analyses between multiple ascomycete fungal species by network analyses. 
URL http://www.phi-base.org/
 
Title Additional file 10: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Classes of transposon and repeat found in Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium venenatum. (XLS 37Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_10_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 10: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Classes of transposon and repeat found in Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium venenatum. (XLS 37Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_10_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 12: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium venenatum species-specific genes. An analysis of genes that lack a BLASTP top hit from NCBI nr database using 10- 6 and 10- 20 E-value cutoffs. (XLS 3165 kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_12_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 12: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium venenatum species-specific genes. An analysis of genes that lack a BLASTP top hit from NCBI nr database using 10- 6 and 10- 20 E-value cutoffs. (XLS 3165 kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_12_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 14: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Species-specific proteins between F. venenatum (Fv) and F. graminearum (Fg), identified using BLASTP analysis of both Fv and Fg proteomes. (XLS 4938Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_14_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 14: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Species-specific proteins between F. venenatum (Fv) and F. graminearum (Fg), identified using BLASTP analysis of both Fv and Fg proteomes. (XLS 4938Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_14_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 15: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Paralogue protein groups in Fusarium venenatum. Some groups show adjacent (neighbour) groupings representing recent duplications, whilst others represent near neighbours ( 100 genes). (XLS 38 kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_15_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 15: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Paralogue protein groups in Fusarium venenatum. Some groups show adjacent (neighbour) groupings representing recent duplications, whilst others represent near neighbours ( 100 genes). (XLS 38 kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_15_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 16: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description A summary of secondary metabolite clusters (SMCs) found in Fusarium venenatum and F. graminearum. Using Sieber et al. [33] 67 predictions as a template, SMURF and ANTISMASH were used to refine SMC predictions to 69 Fg SMCs and an additional 6 for Fv, combined with BLASTP of respective proteomes to identify presence in each species. (XLS 2940Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_16_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 16: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description A summary of secondary metabolite clusters (SMCs) found in Fusarium venenatum and F. graminearum. Using Sieber et al. [33] 67 predictions as a template, SMURF and ANTISMASH were used to refine SMC predictions to 69 Fg SMCs and an additional 6 for Fv, combined with BLASTP of respective proteomes to identify presence in each species. (XLS 2940Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_16_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 17: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium venenatum presence of TRI6 Fusarium greaminearum binding sites predicted by Nasmith et al. [39]. Fusarium venenatum BLASTP alignment percentages were added to identify presence or absence. (XLS 61Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_17_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 17: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium venenatum presence of TRI6 Fusarium greaminearum binding sites predicted by Nasmith et al. [39]. Fusarium venenatum BLASTP alignment percentages were added to identify presence or absence. (XLS 61Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Placing the chromosome scale, fully annotated F. venenatum genome in the public domain has increased the power of comparative genomics for cereal infecting Fusarium species. 
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_17_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 18: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium graminearum and F. venenatum secretome predictions and respective presence. (XLS 479Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_18_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 18: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium graminearum and F. venenatum secretome predictions and respective presence. (XLS 479Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_18_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 20: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description BLASTP analysis of previously identified pathogenicity factors. (XLS 37Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_20_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 20: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description BLASTP analysis of previously identified pathogenicity factors. (XLS 37Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_20_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 21: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description BLASTP analysis of both Fusarium venenatum and F. graminearum proteomes against PHI-base v4.3. (XLS 2317Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_21_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 21: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description BLASTP analysis of both Fusarium venenatum and F. graminearum proteomes against PHI-base v4.3. (XLS 2317Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_21_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 22: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium graminearum specific genes and clusters and their expression during in vitro culture or during wheat head infection. (XLS 185Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_22_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 22: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium graminearum specific genes and clusters and their expression during in vitro culture or during wheat head infection. (XLS 185Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_22_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Qu...
 
Title Additional file 3: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description BUSCO analysis of proteomes for selected Fusaria. (XLS 1371Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_3_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 3: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description BUSCO analysis of proteomes for selected Fusaria. (XLS 1371Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_3_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 5: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Comparative genomic analysis of the Fusarium venenatum genome with other fungi. This reveals close similarity to the pathogenic species F. graminearum and F. pseudograminearum. (XLS 37Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_5_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 5: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Comparative genomic analysis of the Fusarium venenatum genome with other fungi. This reveals close similarity to the pathogenic species F. graminearum and F. pseudograminearum. (XLS 37Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_5_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 6: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Positions and lengths of Fusarium venenatum and Fusarium graminearum centromeres. This shows a 25% decrease in average size of the F. venenatum centromeres compared to Fusarium graminearum. (XLS 43Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_6_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 6: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Positions and lengths of Fusarium venenatum and Fusarium graminearum centromeres. This shows a 25% decrease in average size of the F. venenatum centromeres compared to Fusarium graminearum. (XLS 43Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_6_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 7: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Comparison of the reference F. venenatum and F. graminearum genome sequences per individual chromosome (Chr) or supercontig (FV_1_1). Detailed comparisons of bp length and â Nâ base content. (XLS 36Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_7_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 7: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Comparison of the reference F. venenatum and F. graminearum genome sequences per individual chromosome (Chr) or supercontig (FV_1_1). Detailed comparisons of bp length and â Nâ base content. (XLS 36Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_7_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 8: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Comparative statistics on the number of coding and non-coding gene models predicted in the Fusarium venenatum (Fv) and F. graminearum (Fg) genomes. (XLS 29Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_8_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 8: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Comparative statistics on the number of coding and non-coding gene models predicted in the Fusarium venenatum (Fv) and F. graminearum (Fg) genomes. (XLS 29Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_8_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 9: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium graminearum alignment and gene IDâ s found in the inverted/translocated regions A/B/C in relation to Fusarium venenatum. Mauve alignments in Sheet 1 of Fusarium venenatum and F. graminearum chromosome 3. The small blue inversion/translocation in Fusarium graminearum has 56 genes, the small green translocation 144 genes, and the large blue/pink inversion/translocation has 586 genes (see Sheet 2â 4). Below the top mauve alignment are F. venenatum and F. poae chromosome 3 aligned to F. graminearum using Lastz. (XLS 678Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_9_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Additional file 9: of Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum 
Description Fusarium graminearum alignment and gene IDâ s found in the inverted/translocated regions A/B/C in relation to Fusarium venenatum. Mauve alignments in Sheet 1 of Fusarium venenatum and F. graminearum chromosome 3. The small blue inversion/translocation in Fusarium graminearum has 56 genes, the small green translocation 144 genes, and the large blue/pink inversion/translocation has 586 genes (see Sheet 2â 4). Below the top mauve alignment are F. venenatum and F. poae chromosome 3 aligned to F. graminearum using Lastz. (XLS 678Â kb) 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_9_of_Inter-genome_comparison_of_the_Quo...
 
Title Changes in antibiosis growth stage data.xlsx 
Description Dataset of: Rhopalosiphum padi (bird cherry-oat aphid) mean relative growth rate (mRGR), % survival (after 7 days), number of days to produce 1st nymph, and nymph production on Triticum aestivum var. Solstice, Triticum monococcum MDR037, MDR045 and MDR049 at four different growth stages; Zadocks growth stage 11, 12-13, 37-41, 51-55 at the start of experimentation. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Changes_in_antibiosis_growth_stage_data_xlsx/12869276
 
Title Combined pangenomics and transcriptomics reveals core and redundant virulence processes in a rapidly evolving fungal plant pathogen 
Description Studying genomic variation in rapidly evolving pathogens potentially enables definition of genes supporting their "core biology" present, functional and expressed by all strains or "flexible biology", varying between strains. Genes supporting flexible biology may be considered to be "accessory", whilst the "core" gene set is likely to be important for common features of a pathogen species biology, including virulence on all host genotypes. The wheat-pathogenic fungus Zymoseptoria tritici represents one of the most rapidly evolving threats to global food security and was the focus of this study 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://repository.rothamsted.ac.uk/item/98q90/combined-pangenomics-and-transcriptomics-reveals-core...
 
Title FgMutantDB 
Description FgMutantDb was designed as a simple spreadsheet that is accessible globally on the web that will function as a centralized source of information on F. graminearum mutants. FgMutantDb aids in the maintenance and sharing of mutants within a research community. It will serve also as a platform for disseminating prepublication results as well as negative results that often go unreported. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Through the use of FgMutantDB missing annotations were feedback into larger multispecies fungal genomic databases including, FungiDB, Ensembl and PHI-base. 
URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087184518300021
 
Title Pathogen-Host Interactions database 
Description Pathogen-Host Interactions database 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2019 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Two new releases Version 4.15 May 2nd 2023 Version 4.14 November 1st 2022 
URL http://www.phi-base.org
 
Description A meeting between CIMMYT and DFW funded by BMGF to discuss collaboration projects 
Organisation International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT)
Country Mexico 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution I organised a meeting funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation brought together members of the BBSRC's coordinated wheat programme (Designing Future Wheat) with members of CIMMYT (who breed wheat for the resource poor in the developing world), discuss potential opportunities for interaction. These opportunities are taken forward by writing proposals for Newton , GCRF or IWYP funding calls
Collaborator Contribution See above
Impact This interaction is still ongoing between members of BBSRC's coordinated wheat programme (Designing Future Wheat) and researchers within CIMMYT with proposals being written for IWYP and Newton calls
Start Year 2018
 
Description Bayer Targets and Abraham Wald 
Organisation Bayer
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Generated materials for genome sequencing project
Collaborator Contribution Paid for and performed sequencing project
Impact Private datasets and new resources
Start Year 2019
 
Description CIMMYT''s global Septoria trials 
Organisation International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT)
Country Mexico 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Rothamsted Research is carrying out Septoria disease trials on 50 wheat lines supplied by CIMMYT as part of their global germplasm assessment for disease resistance. The Rothamsted trails includes additional wheat lines that carry most of the known Stb resistance genes as well as the most promising Watkins lines identified in previous Rothamsted trials that show a moderate to high level of resistance to Septoria. These winter sown trails commence in Autumn 2016 and will continue for 5 years. Cimmyt provides the seed for a different set of wheat lines each year. Annually, Rothamsted provides back to Cimmyt, both the raw disease data and the statistically analyses data.
Collaborator Contribution Cimmyt selects the 50 wheat lines to be tested globally. Cimmyt multiplies the seed, does the necessary quarantine checks and ships this seed to Rothamsted early each autumn for direct sowing of the annual field trial.
Impact Too early
Start Year 2016
 
Description Certis - Take-all control and increasing farmer awareness of this root disease 
Organisation Certis UK
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Information on take-all root disease epidemiology over multiple years in wheat crops Influence of rotation position on take-all disease New way to control take-all root disease through crop genetics and / or altering soil microbes
Collaborator Contribution Information on the fungicide Silthiofam and take-all isolate resistance to this product Information from extensive field trialling of Silthiofam in Europe against Take-all disease in wheat and barley
Impact Nothing to date, plans are still ongoing due to major staff changes with DFW
Start Year 2018
 
Description Comparative transcriptome analyses F. graminearum infection of wheat in floral and coleoptile tissues 
Organisation Chinese Academy of Sciences
Department Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution A very detailed F. graminearum (Fg) transcriptome analysis has been undertaken in wheat floral tissue over the past 3 years which was published in 2017. Brown, NA, Evans, J., Mead, A and. Hammond-Kosack, K.E. (2017) A spatial temporal analysis of the Fusarium graminearum transcriptome during symptomless and symptomatic wheat infection. Molecular Plant Pathology 18, 1295-1312 (e-12564) . We have used this Rothamsted Research generated transcriptomics data set to compare with a comparable transcriptome data set generated at SIPPE on the Fg- wheat coleoptile interaction. This coleoptile data set is being inter-compared with the wheat floral data set to identify the tissue specific similarities and differences.
Collaborator Contribution A very detailed F. graminearum (Fg) transcriptome analysis has been undertaken in wheat coleoptile tissue over the past 3 years which was published in 2012. Xiao-Wei Zhang, Lei-Jie Jia,Yan Zhang,Gang Jiang, Xuan Li,c Dong Zhang, and Wei-Hua Tang (2012) In Planta Stage-Specific Fungal Gene Profiling Elucidates the Molecular Strategies of Fusarium graminearum Growing inside Wheat Coleoptiles. Plant Cell 24: 5159-5176l. This coleoptile data set is being inter-compared with the wheat floral data set to identify the tissue specific similarities and differences.
Impact Kim Hammond-Kosack was invited to visit SIPPE in 2016 ,to give an institute seminar in 2017 and to attend and present at an international Fusarium genomics workshop in 2017. Professor Tang visited Rothamsted Research in 2017 and gave a departmeantl seminar. Several unpublished data sets have been exchanged and joint analyses are underway.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Development of image based phenotyping for aphid infestation in wheat 
Organisation Crop Health and Protection
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Expertise in entomology
Collaborator Contribution CHAP - Imaging expertise, CIMMYT - wheat germplasm
Impact Initial results show that aphids and the virus they transmit can be detected using imaging and this will be developed further to establish if this could be used as for a more accurate, high throughput laboratory and field phenotyping
Start Year 2017
 
Description Development of image based phenotyping for aphid infestation in wheat 
Organisation International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT)
Country Mexico 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Expertise in entomology
Collaborator Contribution CHAP - Imaging expertise, CIMMYT - wheat germplasm
Impact Initial results show that aphids and the virus they transmit can be detected using imaging and this will be developed further to establish if this could be used as for a more accurate, high throughput laboratory and field phenotyping
Start Year 2017
 
Description EMBRAPA Brazil - Bioinformatics Laboratory, Cenargen Brasilia 
Organisation Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
Country Brazil 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution The genomes of 16 well-characterised Fusarium graminearum (Fg) (15-ADON) isolates, eight each from Parana and Rio Grande du Sul states, were sequenced by Illumina paired end reads. The highly virulent isolate CML3066, with the best sequence coverage (x180), was nominated as the Brazilian reference isolate. We have subsequently created the pan genome for Fg using this data and an additional six global Fg stains including the global reference strain PH-1 originally from the USA. The focus at Rothamsted was then the characterisation of genes predicted to code for small secreted proteins or predicted to reside with discrete secondary metabolite clusters. The sequence variation in the known Fg pathogenicity and virulence genes documented in the PHI-base database has also been explored. To complement these comparative genome analyses, the relative disease causing ability of the 16 Brazilian isolates compared to the global reference strain has been explored in detail.
Collaborator Contribution The EMBRAPA bioinformatics team have applied their expertise in transmembrane spanning proteins to explore the predicted G-protein coupled receptor, 7 transmembrane spanning protein superfamiliy. This superfamiliy contains > 100 genes and some of there are now know to be required for the disease causing ability of Fg.
Impact Three publications have already arisen from the initial joint genome data analysis on the Fg PH-1 genome, which was done in preparation for the main project.. Bresso, E., Leroux, V., Urban, M., Hammond-Kosack, K.E., Maigret, B.. and Martins, N.F. (2016) Structure-based virtual screening of hypothetical inhibitors of the enzyme longiborneol synthase, a possible target to reduce Fusarium head blight disease. Journal of Molecular Modeling 22, 1-13. Martins, N.F., Bresso, E., Togawa, R. C., Urban, M., Antoniw, J., Maigret, B. and Hammond-Kosack, K.E. (2016) Searching for novel targets to control wheat head blight disease. I- Protein identification, 3D modeling and virtual screening. Advances in Microbiology 6 (11), 811-830. Doi 10.4236/aim.2016.611079. Bresso, E., Togawa, R. C., Hammond-Kosack, K.E., Urban, M., Maigret, B. and Martins, N.F (2016). GPCRs from Fusarium graminearum, detection, modeling and virtual screening - the search for new routes to control head blight disease. BMC Bioinformatics 17 (18), 39. PMID: 28105916. These joint studies were multi-disciplinary and involved bioinformatics and protein modelling.
Start Year 2013
 
Description EMBRAPA Brazil - Passo fundo - Trigo (wheat) team 
Organisation Embrapa Trigo
Country Brazil 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution The Rothamsted Team has sequenced the genomes of 16 Brazilian strains of the Fusarium head blight disease causing strain F. graminearum (Fg) and has now created a pan -genome for this species by comparing with the available Fg genomes for 6 six additional global isolates including the reference isolate PH-I. This has indicated that the Fg pan genome is relatively closed. The Rothamsted Team has stably transformed the Brazilian commercial wheat cultivar Guaramin for the first time
Collaborator Contribution The EMBRAPA Trigo team have generated various transgenic Arabidopsis harboring different Fg HIGS constructs. The EMBRAPA Team have also screened and identified lettuce cultivars that are fully susceptible to the nominated reference Brazilian strain.
Impact A major display at the annual Cereals event held in Cambridgeshire in June 2016 on the new HIGS and SIGS technologies for the control of FHB disease in wheat . A open evening public event entitled @ Healthy Crops- Healthy Food done at Rothamsted Research in July 2016.
Start Year 2014
 
Description Fusarium graminearum effector characterisation using global pangenome analyses 
Organisation University of Bath
Department Department of Biology and Biochemistry
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We designed this fungal effector PhD project based on soon to be published Fusarium graminearum pangenome analyses arising from an ongoing now unfunded collaboration with EMBRAPA in Brazil. This included detailed bioinformatics analyses and wet biology verification of the in planta destination location of small secreted candidate effector proteins.
Collaborator Contribution The two partners at the University of Bath will provide specialist transcriptome analyses (Dr Neil Brown) and genome analyses (Dr Hans -Wilhelm Nützmann to this PhD project. In 2023 , Hans -Wilhelm Nützmann moved to The University of Exeter. This collaboration continues with Drs Neil Brown and Hans -Wilhelm Nützmann.
Impact Hiring of the 4 year PhD student Jade Smith
Start Year 2022
 
Description Green_Soil microbiome_Take-all_wheat_Bonnie Waring_Imperial College and CABI at Silwood Park 
Organisation CABI
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Full day visit (Dec 2023) to Silwood Park and to meet Bonnie Waring and the other 10 PIs involved in their new project on UK soil microbiomes of wheat. Discussed methodologies, ongoing research activities on Take-all research at Rothamsted. Subsequently, provide specific advice on wheat genotypes, a highly virulent Take-all isolate for which a chromosome scale, fully annotated genome is now available, protocols on how to isolate Take-all from cereal roots and how to culture and store the fungus.
Collaborator Contribution Detailed information on their new 3 year project title 'Green Microbiome' which commenced in Jan 2024 which is funded by the MIchael Uren Foundation - £2.45 milion
Impact Root pieces with lesions collected from Take-all infected wheat plants sampled from different UK wheat fields by NIAB, will be sent to Rothamsted on a weekly basis throughout spring and summer 2024. The Imperial team will have sampled the soil microbiomes prior to sending Rothamsted the associated root samples. This will generate a large paired data set. The wheat genotype will also be known.
Start Year 2023
 
Description Green_Soil microbiome_Take-all_wheat_Bonnie Waring_Imperial College and CABI at Silwood Park 
Organisation Imperial College London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Full day visit (Dec 2023) to Silwood Park and to meet Bonnie Waring and the other 10 PIs involved in their new project on UK soil microbiomes of wheat. Discussed methodologies, ongoing research activities on Take-all research at Rothamsted. Subsequently, provide specific advice on wheat genotypes, a highly virulent Take-all isolate for which a chromosome scale, fully annotated genome is now available, protocols on how to isolate Take-all from cereal roots and how to culture and store the fungus.
Collaborator Contribution Detailed information on their new 3 year project title 'Green Microbiome' which commenced in Jan 2024 which is funded by the MIchael Uren Foundation - £2.45 milion
Impact Root pieces with lesions collected from Take-all infected wheat plants sampled from different UK wheat fields by NIAB, will be sent to Rothamsted on a weekly basis throughout spring and summer 2024. The Imperial team will have sampled the soil microbiomes prior to sending Rothamsted the associated root samples. This will generate a large paired data set. The wheat genotype will also be known.
Start Year 2023
 
Description Identification of sources of aphid resistance in wheat 
Organisation John Innes Centre
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Expertise in entomology, aphid phenotyping and bioassays
Collaborator Contribution Germplasm and genetics
Impact • In collaboration between JIC and Rothamsted, we have screened sequenced EMS mutants and a collection of Ae. tauschii accessions for resistance against two aphid species. In both cases we have identified potentially novel sources of resistance and we are now performing the genetics to identify causal genes underlying these resistance responses.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Investigating HIGS and SIGS using the F. graminearum - wheat interaction 
Organisation Justus Liebig University Giessen
Country Germany 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Rothamsted Research team has discussed in depth the data and techniques in the Giessen group's various publications at the BSPP autumn conference at the University of Nottingham. The post-doc on the bilateral BBSRC-EMPRAPA project has visited the Giessen group for 2 weeks in late 2017 to be taught the various techniques. The post doc returned with specific F. graminaerum strains and Arabidopsis transgenic lines to establish these HIGS and SIGS techniques at Rothamsted Research during 2018. A series of joint experiments are underway.
Collaborator Contribution The head of the Guissen group gave an oral presentation at the BSPP autumn 2017 conference at the University of Nottingham and then discussed in depth their results and techniques with the Rothamsted Resarch. The Guissen group hosted the Rothamsted Research post - doc for two weeks in late 2017 and trained them in specialist in vitro and in planta HIGS and SIGS techniques involving F. graminearum, Arabidopsis and barley leaves. A series of joint experiments are underway.
Impact Specialist training. Sharing of experimental protocols. Exchange of published and unpublished Fusarium strains and Arabidopsis lines.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Isolation of wheat Stb genes for resisatnce to Septoria 
Organisation French National Institute of Agricultural Research
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Expertise in fungal (Zymoseptoria tritici) biology, wheat functional genomics, wheat-fungal interactions, disease resistance, bioinformatics
Collaborator Contribution Expertise in wheat genetics and genomics
Impact The first wheat gene for resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici (Septoria tritici) has been cloned, published in Nature Genetics, and the corresponding applications patented.
Start Year 2013
 
Description Isolation of wheat Stb genes for resisatnce to Septoria 
Organisation John Innes Centre
Department Department of Crop Genetics
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Expertise in fungal (Zymoseptoria tritici) biology, wheat functional genomics, wheat-fungal interactions, disease resistance, bioinformatics
Collaborator Contribution Expertise in wheat genetics and genomics
Impact The first wheat gene for resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici (Septoria tritici) has been cloned, published in Nature Genetics, and the corresponding applications patented.
Start Year 2013
 
Description LysM effectors 
Organisation Wageningen University & Research
Country Netherlands 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Gene function analysis of Septoria LysM effectors
Collaborator Contribution Production and assay of LysM effector proteins
Impact Marshall et al., (2011) Plant Physiology: Sneiders et al., (2018) Mol Plant Pathol.
Start Year 2011
 
Description Molecular and biological characterisation of Fusarium species and isolates collected from infected wheat fields in Southern Brazil 
Organisation Federal University of Viçosa
Country Brazil 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Rothamsted team has used a next generation sequencing approach to explore the genomes of the five Fusarium Head Blight causing species in Southern Brazil, namely F. graminearum, F. meridionale, F.cortaderiae, F. austroamericanum and F. asiaticum.. The Rothamsted team are currently focussing on investigating and defining the core and variable parts of the pan genome of F. graminearum. The Rothamsted team also assembled and annotated the F. meridionale genome and has given this data to the University team for further analysis.
Collaborator Contribution The University team had collected field isolates during 2009 - 2012 and provided the 24 Fusarium isolates covering the five required species. The University team had also characterised the disease causing ability of each isolate on the floral spikes of various Brazilian wheat genotypes. Currently, the University team is exploring the genomes of the various F. meridionale,
Impact The two main output delivered so far has been (1) the biological characterisation of the 24 / 5 species collection for disease causing ability on both Brazilian and non-Brazilian wheat genotypes and (2) the 24 newly assembled and annotated genomes covering the five most important FHB causing species in Southern Brazil.
Start Year 2014
 
Description PHI-Canto_curation of fungicide literature_Nichola Hawkins_NIAB 
Organisation National Institute Of Agricultural Botany
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution The PHI-Canto community curation tool for literature curation for multiple pathogenic species. Detailed literature searches to identify the in scope publications Development of controlled vocabularies, ontology terms and evidence codes to curate the literature on fungicide targets and resistance mechanisms
Collaborator Contribution In depth knowledge of the relevant fungicide resistance literature for key species , especially for those infecting wheat and barley. In depth knowledge of anew system to identify orthologous function mutations in protein structure across different species even when the amino acid sequence changes are not identical .
Impact This joint project has been a success and a joint manuscript is in preparation
Start Year 2022
 
Description PHI-base collaboration with PomBase (PHI-CANTO and PHI-PO) 
Organisation University of Cambridge
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Since Sept 2017 the PomBase team at the University of Cambridge and the PHI-base team at Rothamsted Research have held weekly meetings ( by Skype) as well as occasional face-to-face meetings to develop an new multi-species author curation tool called PHI-Canto as well as a new pathogen - host interaction ontology called PHI-PO and a new .pathogen host disease ontology called PHI-DO. The Rothamsted team have provided the biological, wet biology experimental and literature knowledge into this collaboration
Collaborator Contribution The PomBase team had already developed a highly successful single organism author curation tool called Canto. The PomBase team also bring a wealth of ontology development expertise into this collaborative project.
Impact Two joint posters will be given at the International Ontology Development conference to be held in Cambridge UK in April 2019. The presenting authors will be Dr Alayne Cuzick and Dr Val Wood.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Plasmodesmata function in Arabidopsis and Wheat 
Organisation John Innes Centre
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Devising and supervising of a SWBIo -DTP PhD student
Collaborator Contribution Devising and co-supervising of a SWBIo -DTP PhD student
Impact Unpublished Arabidopsis lines and constructs have been transferred from John Innes Centre to Rothamsted Research to explore plasmodesmata function during the F graminearum - floral infection process. A collaborative agreement is under development.
Start Year 2015
 
Description Providing pathogen-host interaction data to UniprotKB 
Organisation ExPASy, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB)
Country Switzerland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Providing pathogen-host interaction data to UniprotKB
Collaborator Contribution Providing pathogen-host interaction data to UniprotKB
Impact Providing pathogen-host interaction data to UniprotKB
Start Year 2019
 
Description Rothamsted - Syngenta Alliance - RoSy 
Organisation Syngenta International AG
Country Switzerland 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution An industry:academia collaboration turning excellence in wheat science into cutting edge technology for UK and global farmers Recognising the strength and quality of wheat research available at Rothamsted Research, Syngenta is making a multi-million pound collaborative investment into a set of projects aimed at translating our excellence in wheat science into cutting edge technology for farmers. The capacity at Rothamsted was built following years of funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and Rothamsted has been developing new knowledge and tools to increase UK wheat yield potential to 20 tonnes per hectare. Currently the average farm yield of wheat in the UK is 8.4 tonnes per hectare, dropping to just 3 tonnes per hectare world-wide. Additionally, the rate of yearly increase in wheat yields has declined since 1980. Wheat provides a fifth of human calories. The BBSRC-funded research is improving our understanding of how best to maximise and protect yield potential, determine soil resource interactions and use modelling approaches to support crop improvement. This strategic alliance with Syngenta enables Rothamsted to apply its scientific knowledge and skills to develop outputs that can be used by the company to develop new solutions for farmers in the UK and beyond. Altogether, across the 10 projects funded under this alliance, we have 27 scientists, (from 9 global Syngenta sites), with backgrounds in breeding and crop protection, interacting with 29 scientists from Rothamsted, from molecular biologists to modellers. For Dr Malcolm Hawkesford, 20:20 Wheat® Programme Lead, the level of knowledge exchange enabled by this alliance will lead to not only new products and better advice being developed for farmers, but also contribute to even more relevant science being undertaken at Rothamsted. Specifically the wheat pathogenomics research team at Rothamsted Research has been involved in four collaborative projects with Syngenta at three of their research sites exploring wheat, specific fungal pathogens and /or the development of novel functional genomics tools.
Collaborator Contribution "The objectives of this alliance are totally aligned with those of the Syngenta Cereals Strategy and provide integrated solutions to help growers maximise the yields they can get from their crop in a sustainable way", said Dr James Melichar, Head Product Selection Cereals EAME - Seeds Product Development in Syngenta. "Furthermore, although most of the activities funded under the alliance are focused on wheat, the breakthroughs from projects may be applicable to each of the cereal crops that Syngenta breeds". Syngenta are contributing into the four pathology projects, technical expertise, new knowledge and specific plant genotypes and fungal pathogens for detailed analysis.
Impact Peer reviewed publications, a submitted patent and fully funding the training of a PhD student.
Start Year 2013
 
Description SWBio DTP - PhD student Erika Kroll 
Organisation University of Bath
Department Department of Chemical Engineering
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The PHI-base databases Unpublished transcriptome data sets on the interaction between the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum and wheat plants PHI-Nets datasets which report on predicted protein-protein interactions for Fusarium graminearum A recent review article on Fusarium -cereal plant interactions covering Fusarium genomics, transcriptomics, secondary metabolite gene clusters, virulence genes, effector genomes, cell biologies in different plant species and tissue types and novel approaches to disease control by targeting Fusarium virulence requirements.
Collaborator Contribution Unpublished transcriptome data sets on the interaction between the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum and wheat plants Unpublished single gene deletion mutants in Fusarium graminaerum
Impact During the 1st rotation project, the deletion of three different predicted secreted proteases was successfully completed by the PhD student. One of these single gene deletion mutants had reduced virulence. The gene deleted was a secreted protease This data will fit into another recently funded project being done jointly with two US based groups where Rothamsted receives funding directly from the USA. In 2023 a bilateral NSF-BBSRC project was funded based on some of the data generated in the 1st rotation project of this joint PhD project.
Start Year 2020
 
Description SWBio DTP - PhD student Victoria Armer 
Organisation University of Exeter
Department Biosciences
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Unpublished functional genomics datasets including the generation of single gene deletion mutants for the cereal infecting fungus Fusarium graminearum Unpublished transcriptomic datasets Unpublished cell biology studies.
Collaborator Contribution New microscopy methods to explore cereal-fungal interactions
Impact Too early
Start Year 2020
 
Description SWBio-DTP PhD student Izayana Sandoval (2022 onwards) 
Organisation University of Bristol
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Hiring of the PhD student Preliminary data for PhD project obtained by Dr Lawrence Bramham via a defra funded project entitles ' The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network' as well as through a British Society for Plant Pathology undergraduate summer bursary project in 2021. Identified a suitable industrial partner , the UK wheat breeding company RAGT Devising the project which is entitled - Investigating resistance to Barley yellow dwarf virus in wheat
Collaborator Contribution To permit 30% of their SWBioDTP students to be international students.
Impact None yet - too early the PhD project only commenced in Oct 2021
Start Year 2021
 
Description Septoria autophagy 
Organisation University of Exeter
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution PhD Supervisor of DTP student
Collaborator Contribution Main Supervisory team of DTP student
Impact Project reports from student. Poster presentations at scientific meetings
Start Year 2016
 
Description Septoria microbial antagonists 
Organisation University of Nottingham
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Supervising a DTP PhD student based as Rothamsted
Collaborator Contribution Co-supervising PhD student
Impact Several meeting abstracts and research posters
Start Year 2017
 
Description Stb19 
Organisation Australian National University (ANU)
Country Australia 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We contribute our expertise in Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat to the project aimed to clone and functionally characterise wheat genes (such as Stb19) for resistance to Septoria tritici blotch disease.
Collaborator Contribution Contributions of our partners: NSW Department of Primary Industries: development of molecular genetic markers flanking Stb19, high-resolution genetic map around Stb19 Australian National University (ANU): high resolution physical map around Stb19 and identification of candidate Stb19 genes INRA: wheat germplasm resources, and genetic diversity study
Impact Several Wall-associate kinase-like genes have been identified as the candidate Stb19 gene, which provides resistance to multipple isolates of the fungal pathogen Zymoseptroia tritici, a causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch disease of wheat.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Stb19 
Organisation Department of Primary Industries New South Wales
Country Australia 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We contribute our expertise in Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat to the project aimed to clone and functionally characterise wheat genes (such as Stb19) for resistance to Septoria tritici blotch disease.
Collaborator Contribution Contributions of our partners: NSW Department of Primary Industries: development of molecular genetic markers flanking Stb19, high-resolution genetic map around Stb19 Australian National University (ANU): high resolution physical map around Stb19 and identification of candidate Stb19 genes INRA: wheat germplasm resources, and genetic diversity study
Impact Several Wall-associate kinase-like genes have been identified as the candidate Stb19 gene, which provides resistance to multipple isolates of the fungal pathogen Zymoseptroia tritici, a causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch disease of wheat.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Stb19 
Organisation French National Institute of Agricultural Research
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We contribute our expertise in Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat to the project aimed to clone and functionally characterise wheat genes (such as Stb19) for resistance to Septoria tritici blotch disease.
Collaborator Contribution Contributions of our partners: NSW Department of Primary Industries: development of molecular genetic markers flanking Stb19, high-resolution genetic map around Stb19 Australian National University (ANU): high resolution physical map around Stb19 and identification of candidate Stb19 genes INRA: wheat germplasm resources, and genetic diversity study
Impact Several Wall-associate kinase-like genes have been identified as the candidate Stb19 gene, which provides resistance to multipple isolates of the fungal pathogen Zymoseptroia tritici, a causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch disease of wheat.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Syngenta Zt pangenome 
Organisation Syngenta International AG
Country Switzerland 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Training the researcher to perform analysis. Creating a pangenome and calling SNPs, presence/absence of genes. RNA-seq analysis. Annotating genes and integrating other omics data sources. Analyses for publication.
Collaborator Contribution Providing the sequencing data. Writing the paper. Some data analyses.
Impact Zymoseptoria tritici (Zt) pangenome. Multiple Genome assemblies of different Zt isolates. In planta gene expression and annotations for each Zt gene across 12 isolates.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Syngenta project - LowTab to control Take-all root disease 
Organisation Syngenta International AG
Department Syngenta Seeds
Country Switzerland 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Methods to evaluate the LowTAB trait from soil cores supplied by the company. The provision of benchmarking cultivars to include in the Syngenta trials.
Collaborator Contribution Field trials involving of different wheat cultivars grown in a1st wheat situation
Impact Too early, only in trial year No1
Start Year 2019
 
Description VIGS vs meiotic genes 
Organisation John Innes Centre
Department Department of Crop Genetics
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Rothamsted contributes expertise in Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat to the project aimed to identify and functionally characterise meiotic genes in wheat.
Collaborator Contribution Contributions of collaborators: - Leicester contributes expertise in meiosis - JIC and Bristol contribute expertise in wheat genetics and gene editing, respectively
Impact In collaboration with Leicester, JIC, and Bristol, Rothamsted have demonstrated that BSMV-mediated VIGS is effective in inducing silencing of meiotic genes in wheat, with the resulting phenotypes phenocopying mutations induced through CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. This will accelerate research aimed to unravel the mechanisms governing meiotic crossover frequency and manipulating crossover frequency and distribution in wheat.
Start Year 2018
 
Description VIGS vs meiotic genes 
Organisation University of Bristol
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Rothamsted contributes expertise in Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat to the project aimed to identify and functionally characterise meiotic genes in wheat.
Collaborator Contribution Contributions of collaborators: - Leicester contributes expertise in meiosis - JIC and Bristol contribute expertise in wheat genetics and gene editing, respectively
Impact In collaboration with Leicester, JIC, and Bristol, Rothamsted have demonstrated that BSMV-mediated VIGS is effective in inducing silencing of meiotic genes in wheat, with the resulting phenotypes phenocopying mutations induced through CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. This will accelerate research aimed to unravel the mechanisms governing meiotic crossover frequency and manipulating crossover frequency and distribution in wheat.
Start Year 2018
 
Description VIGS vs meiotic genes 
Organisation University of Leicester
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Rothamsted contributes expertise in Virus-induced gene silencing in wheat to the project aimed to identify and functionally characterise meiotic genes in wheat.
Collaborator Contribution Contributions of collaborators: - Leicester contributes expertise in meiosis - JIC and Bristol contribute expertise in wheat genetics and gene editing, respectively
Impact In collaboration with Leicester, JIC, and Bristol, Rothamsted have demonstrated that BSMV-mediated VIGS is effective in inducing silencing of meiotic genes in wheat, with the resulting phenotypes phenocopying mutations induced through CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. This will accelerate research aimed to unravel the mechanisms governing meiotic crossover frequency and manipulating crossover frequency and distribution in wheat.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Wheat Genetic Improvement Networks (WGIN) funded by defra 
Organisation John Innes Centre
Department Department of Crop Genetics
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Kim Hammond-Kosack and Peter Shewry at Rothamsted Research co-founded the defra funded Wheat Genetic Improvement Network in 2003. This network is about to enter its 4th phase. Kim Hammond-Kosack is the project leader and Peter Shewry chairs all the meetings. WGIN ensures the wheat genetic, genotyping and phenotyping pre-breeding research ongoing within the project is focussed on improving the sustainability and resilience of the UK wheat crop. A very wide range of wheat traits have been investigated in WGIN over the years, numerous new genetic resources for wheat have been generated and distributed. An integral part of WGIN is the regular connections with the nine wheat breeding companies based in the UK. An annual stakeholder meeting is held each November to connect this project with the needs of the wider UK wheat industry.
Collaborator Contribution John Snape at The John Innes Centre co-founded WGIN in 2003. John Snape was trhe project leader up until 2008 and then this transferred to Simon Griffiths. The John Innes is involved in generating new genetic resources and in genotyping and phenotyping specific mapping populations as well as maintaining and distributing key germplasm.
Impact Over 60 peer reviewed publications, including many involving multiple teams based at different academic organisations and industry. 45 joint meetings with the wheat breeding industry. 15 stakeholder meeting. Annual or biannual community newsletters, Well maintained database contain all the project information, key data sets and the resources available. Training the next generation of wheat scientists, through summer placements funded by learned society summer bursary schemes and involving PhD students in specific large and long term experiments. Considerable new funding obtained for wheat research. Still need to add in the final numbers.
 
Description Wheat Pathogens_HTP Digital Phenomics_IPK Gaterslaben_Dimitar Douchkov 
Organisation IPK Gatersleben
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Well characterised isolates of the wheat fungal pathogens Fusarium graminearum and Zymoseptoria tritici with chromosome scale, fully annotated genomes Globally unique wheat introgression germplasm arising fro the Defra funded Wheat Genetic Improvemet Network. The NIFTYR lines in the elite UK spring cultivar Paragon harbour different segments of various Triticum monococcum (einkorn wheat ) lines.
Collaborator Contribution IPK Gaterslaben has establishing a universal high-throughput digital phenomics platform to study wheat responses to various biotic fungal threats and potential biocontrol bacteria
Impact Still in the planning stage. A funded research study period will take place in IPK Gaterslaben in Q2 2024 involving Dr Wanxin Chen from Rothamsted
Start Year 2022
 
Description Wheat plasma membrane 
Organisation University of Exeter
Department Biosciences
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Devising and then supervising a SWBio DTP PhD student
Collaborator Contribution Devising and then co-supervising a SWBio DTP PhD student
Impact Appointed the PhD student, Laura Baggaley. Initial 6 month student placement at University of Exeter. We have jointly started to devise a multi-disciplinary aspect to this project, where the images generated via confocal microscopy with then be converted into a mathematical model of growth of the Fusarium graminearum wild type and GT2 mutant strains. A formal agreement for this joint project is under development.
Start Year 2015
 
Description mlo- mediated plant defense in wheat 
Organisation RWTH Aachen University
Country Germany 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution This is a collaboration involving Andy Phillips and Kim Hammond-Kosack at Rothamsted Research and Professor Ralph Panstruga at RWTH Aachen University. Rothamsted generated and provided an EMS mutagenised population of the wheat cultivar Cadenza. Andy Phillips lab hosted the visiting post-doc. The following breeding strategy was devised during a joint meeting at Rothamsted. Both Andy Phillips and Kim Hammond-Kosack contributed to the joint writing of the manuscript, dealing with reviewers comments and checking the final proofs, Kim Hammond-Kosack was awarded in 2018 a new 5 year defra funded projercted called the Wheat Genetic Improvement Network - phase 4 (WGIN 4). Within WGIN 4 the best double and triple mlo lines will be evaluated under field conditions for their resisatnce to powdery mildew and plant growth and plant stature.
Collaborator Contribution A Post doc funded in the Panstruga lab came to Rothamsted Resarch and screened DNA samples from the EMS mutagenised population and identified a series of the required mlo mutant alleles for the A B and D genomes. The Panstriuga lab then completed the required sexual crosses to combine various combinations of mutant mlo A B and D homoeologues. The single, double, and triple mutant lines were tested for the control of wheat powdery mildew under glasshouse conditions. The writing of the joint manuscript was led by the Panstruga Lab. The joint publication appeared in 2017 and was featured on the front cover.
Impact Acevedo-Garcia, J., Spencer, D., Thieron, H., Reinstädler, A., Hammond-Kosack, K.E., Phillips A.L. and Panstruga, R. (2017) mlo-based powdery mildew resistance in hexaploid bread wheat generated by a non-transgenic TILLING approach. Plant Biotechnology Journal 15, 367-378 plus new funding and field research activities within the defra funded WGIN 4 project
Start Year 2013
 
Description siRNA oligo-mediated silencing of genes in plant pathogenic fungi and their cereal hosts - Royal Holloway - Dr Laurence Bindschedler 
Organisation Royal Holloway, University of London
Department School of Biological Sciences
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Rothamsted Research team has designed and generated single gene deletion mutants for a conserved effector in two wheat infecting fungal species, namely Fusarium graminearum and Zymoseptoria tritici. The conserved effector was selected because this small secreted protein is required for pathogenicity by the wheat and the barley attacking species of powdery mildew, respectively Blumeria graminis f sp tritici and Bg fsp hordei . Characterisation of the two sets of mutants both in vitro and in planta has also been carried out at Rothamsted Research. Our collaboartors at Royal Holloway have neither the facilities nor required government licences to carry out these types of experiments. The PhD student visits Rothamsted for a few days each month to complete specific experiments.
Collaborator Contribution Our collaborator has been silencing the same effector in trhe wheat powdery mildew fungus Blumeria graminis f sp tritici, using synthetic oligos. Thus confirming that this effector which is predicted to encode a specialist zinc metal protease is required for the infection of both the wheat and the barley infecting powdery mildew species. The Royal Holloway team are also exploring how the expression of this effector is regulated.
Impact So far only joint conference posters , eg BSPP Warwick Dec 2018, MBPP Norwich March 2019 and IS-MPMI Glasgow July 2019
Start Year 2016
 
Title PLANT FUNGAL RESISTANCE GENE 
Description The present invention relates generally to the fields of genetic engineering and plant molecular biology. Specifically, the invention concerns nucleic acids and polypeptides which confer fungal disease resistance in plants, in particular, resistance to Septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease. Accordingly, the invention relates to isolated nucleic acids and polypeptides which are capable of conferring resistance to the STB disease and the use thereof in generating and identifying STB resistant plants. The invention also encompasses expression vectors comprising said polynucleotides and plants exhibiting resistance to STB disease. The nucleic acids, polypeptides, expression vectors, plants and methods of the present invention may usefully find application in agricultural biotechnology. 
IP Reference WO2017103582 
Protection Patent application published
Year Protection Granted 2017
Licensed No
Impact None
 
Title VECTORS AND METHODS FOR GENE EXPRESSION IN MONOCOTS 
Description The invention relates to the field of genetic engineering tools for gene expression in plants. Specifically, the invention concerns modified Foxtail Mosaic Virus (FoMV) vectors comprising polynucleotide sequences which are capable of driving expression of a gene of interest in a plant host. Accordingly, the invention concerns FoMV-based expression vectors comprising said polynucleotides, compositions comprising modified FoMV vectors, methods of generating gene expression in plants infected with the modified FoMV vectors. The expression vectors, compositions, plants and methods of the present invention find application in many fields of biotechnology, including, for example, gene characterization, protein production and agricultural biotechnology. 
IP Reference WO2018065785 
Protection Patent application published
Year Protection Granted 2018
Licensed No
Impact Increased international visibility of our research. New links with biotechnology companies.
 
Description 1st International Wheat Congress, July 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Alison Lovegrove presented "Exploiting genetic diversity to improve fibre and other bioactive components" at the 1st International Wheat Congress, Saskatoon, Canada, 19th July 2019
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description ? FuturumCareers.com: Saving plants from disease, for 11-19 year-olds (July 2019) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact An article was written for a new publication produced by the London based company called FuturumCareers that is specifically focussing on increasing the number of school pupils in the age group 11-19 to become interested in a STEAM subject and to go on and select an appropriate University Course. The PHI-base team at Rothamsted in collaboration with the ENSEMBL team at EMBL-EBI in Cambridge developed both a comprehensive magazine style article and a quiz to enhance the understanding of pathogen - plant host interactions and the increased use of big data to explore plant diseases.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://futurumcareers.com/saving-plants-from-disease
 
Description Alison Lovegrove, WGIN, November 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact presentation: Improving the quality of staple foods to deliver health benefits - dietary fibre, at the 15th WGIN Stakeholders' Meeting
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Annual meeting ELIXIR 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Annual ELIXIR UK All Hands Meeting, node members
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2006,2017
 
Description Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) visit to Rothamsted facilities and field tour July 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The AICC membership were walked through an amazing four independent replica, 1st vis 3rd wheat take-all field experiment which included 30 test wheat genotypes involving diploid T. monococcum wheats, Watkins landraces, modern and current elite commercial hexaploid wheats as well as rye and triticale plots. There was exceptionally high disease pressure in many of the 3rd wheat plots whereas the 1st wheat plots in the neighbouring blocks were disease free. The AICC visitors could see first-hand the devastating effects of take-all disease in many of the 3rd wheat plots on plant stature, canopy development as well as the invasion of weed species into the take-all patches. Within this trial the new source for take-all root resistance Watkins 777 and T. monococcum MDR031 displayed excellent crop development in the 3rd wheat position. The AICC visitors also learnt that even though rye is resistant to take-all in the roots in a 2nd or 3rd wheat situation, this species is still able to build up take-all inoculum in the root rhizosphere in a 1st wheat situation and is therefore a high-TAB genotype. Therefore after rye crops neither wheat nor barley should be grown where there is a risk of Take-all disease occurring.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description AvrSr50 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact We prepared and published a press release covering our recently study: Chen et al. (2017) Loss of AvrSr50 by somatic exchange in stem rust leads to virulence for Sr50 resistance in wheat. Science 6370: 1607-1610; http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aao4810. This stimulated increased interest in our research and our story has been picked up by 15 news outlets, blogged by 5, and twitted by 84.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rust-stemmed-wheat
 
Description BBSRC website press release- Gotcha: the gene that takes the fun out of fungus 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact This press release was produced to highlight a featured research paper by King et al., PLoS Pathogens. The aim was to more widely promote the identification of a key gene which allows fungi to become pathogens.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/food-security/2017/171011-pr-gotcha-the-gene-that-takes-the-fun-out-of-f...
 
Description Cafe Scientifique Harpenden 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I, along with two other Rothamsted PhD students, organise the events for Cafe Scientifique Harpenden. These events consist of short presentations made by local scientists to an audience of members of the public and other PhD students, followed by a question and answer session. The events take place at the Silver Cup pub in Harpenden, and are attended each month by 30-40 people. I have so far been involved in events with speakers from University College London, the SouthEastPhysics network and Rothamsted Research, on topics including brain physiology, astrophysics and GM camelina. I am responsible for recruiting speakers, advertising the event locally and on social media, and share responsibility for chairing events.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018,2019
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/cafe-scientifique-harpenden-6588711377
 
Description Cafe Scientifique Harpenden Presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact On 30th July 2018 I was a speaker at the monthly Cafe Scientifique Harpenden event, giving a short presentation of 15 minutes to members of the public. I presented a short introduction to my research area - an investigation into the functions and interactions of the Zymoseptoria tritici effector AvrStb6 and the wheat resistance protein Stb6 - and the aims of my future work. This was followed by a question and answer session with the audience of approximately 30 members of the local community in Harpenden and PhD students.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/cafe-scientifique-harpenden-6588711377
 
Description Cafe Scientifique Seminar Series 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The Café Scientifique outreach group at Rothamsted Research is a student-led team that organises monthly public seminars. Speakers at these seminars are researchers at Rothamsted and London-based institutes, who speak about the scientific background and the content of their research. The event regularly attracts audiences of 20-35 people, with members of the public from Harpenden and the local area in attendance. Since September 2018 we have organised 13 events, with speakers from Rothamsted or Imperial College London and The South East Physics Network and others. My role involves attracting and booking speakers, advertising the event using posters, email invitations and social media and chairing the events. The main output of this event series is to disseminate the research being carried out at Rothamsted and other organisations to the public of Harpenden and the surrounding area, and to promote the benefits of Rothamsted Research to scientific understanding and advancement.
o The events have taken place on 24th September (Ian Harrison, UCL, "Hacking the Brain"), 29th October (Chiara Gandini, Cambridge University, "Green Fish Farms: Answers in the Microalgae"), 26th November 2018 (Abel Barral, Nature Publishing Group, "How was the Earth Milions of Years Ago?"), 28th January (Olivia Keenan, SEPnet, "The Dwarf Galaxy Problem"), 25th February (Johnathan Napier, "Making Fish Oil in Plants"), 25th March (Danilo Lyra, "Predicting Complex Human and Plant Phenotypes Using DNA Information"), 29th April (Alex Dye, "Searching for Soldierflies in the Insect Apocalypse"), 3rd June (Jess Spong and Tessa Reid, "Fungal Diseases on Wheat" and "The Soil Microbiome"), 29th July (Aislinn Pearson, "Modern Smallholder Farming in Africa"), 30th September (Tony Cass, ICL, "Diagnostics To Go - Microneedles in Health and Illness"), 28th October (Anastasia Sokolidi and Caitlin Willis, "Smart Detection of Airborne Diseases in Tomato Production" and "Investigating Insecticide Resistance in UK Populations of Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle") and 25th November 2019 (Ben Stickler, ICL, "Macroscopic Tests of Quantum Physics") and on 27th January 2020 (Matt Dale and Sarah Raffan, "Out In All Weather - Plant Responses to Environmental Extremes" and "Why You Shouldn't Burn Your Toast").
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018,2019,2020
 
Description Cereals 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Demonstration plots and posters
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/events/cereals-2017
 
Description Cereals 2023_South Nottinghamshire_Take-all_Aphids_BYDV 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Diverse Wheat germplasm plot, poster and living material for take-all fungal root disease, cereal aphids and the barley yellow dwarf virus. Microscopes and hand lens to explore infected wheat material. Wheat plot tours to explain these biotic threats, the potential and real risks, and potential disease control strategies currently available and though being developed at Rothamsted.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Cereals event 2019, Lincolnshire 12th - 13th June take-all and aphid plot and poster displays presented 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Two displays were devised to showcase specific wheat germplasm identified in DFW that could combat the threat of two major biotic threats namely Take-all root disease and aphid infestation of the crop canopy and wheat spikes. The take-all display was designed and presented by Kim Hammond-Kosack and Gail Canning. The aphid display was designed by Gia Aradottir, but presented by Kim Hammond-Kosack. The purpose of both living plot, poster and live samples displays was to explain the two biotic threats and their impacts on the wheat crop to farmers,farm managers, farm advisors and members of the professional wheat breeding community. Both displayed focussed on the identification of specific Watkins wheat lines and Triticum monococcum accessions that exhibit moderate to high levels of resistance to either biological problem. Over the exceptionally rainy two day event > 900 people from visited the display asked questions and sort advice on cropping rotations involving winter and spring drilled cereals. The interacting visitors came from all over the UK, several European counties as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Chairing wheat genetics symposium, Tuln, Austria 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Chaired a session of Wheat Genetic symposium
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Challenges and opportunities for agricultural nitrogen science in India 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The Joint Nitrogen VJC Meeting: Challenges and opportunities for agricultural nitrogen science in India
New Delhi, 3-5 October 2017
P. K. Mandal: Understanding Biochemical and Molecular Basis of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Wheat.
We focus on understanding Nitrogen (nitrate) Uptake and Utilization efficiency in contrasting wheat genotypes at biochemical and molecular level. Our results showed considerable genotypic variation for both the component traits at transcript, metabolism (C & N) and RSA level under N-stress. We also observed genotype specific transcript data-set apart from the common transcripts in our microarray study.

Till K Pellny: The Watkins collection as a source for genetically versatile pre-breeding lines.
The Watkins collection comprises of phenotypically diverse landraces collected in the 1920s and 1930s from 32 countries, including India. A nested association mapping panel using 85 founders with Paragon (UK spring) as the common parent has been established at the JIC within the BBSRC WISP project. We are utilizing adapted subgroups from some of these families for field trails in India and the UK.

John Foulkes: Exploiting phenology and adaptation to improve N use efficiency in wheat.
A NAM population of Paragon x Watkins landrace RILs and a panel of MAGIC lines selected for phenology are being phenotyped at UK sites. RILs from the same NAM population are being phenotyped by Indian partners. Phenotyping is focused on N uptake and utilization and root and canopy photosynthesis traits Preliminary results at UK sites and strategies for developing rapid NUE screens are presented.

M.L. Jat: Precision nutrition platform at BISA.
Improving NUE is critical to achieve continued food security & income enhancement & sustaining the soil, plant, and environment, human and animal health. Considering the importance of integrating genetics and precision agronomic management; as a part of INEW, the 'Precision Nutrition Platform" has been established at BISA, Ludhiana, for integrating genotypes and precision agronomic management practices to capture the interactions for attaining higher NUE.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://www.news-india-uk.international/vjcmeeting/press_release
 
Description Co-organised and participated in the joint 1 day defra WGIN -BBSRC DFW Stakeholders meeting held 30th November 2017 at Rothamsted Research 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact At this stakeholder event which focused exclusively on wheat research and wheat genetic improvement there were 110 attendees. These included members of Defra, AHDB, the UK based wheat breeding companies ( Syngenta, RAGT, KWS, Elsoms, Limagrain, DSV, Saaten Union), the Ag consultant companies Agrii, ADAS and NIAB-TAG, members of the new Innovation UK Centre CHAP as well as farmers from Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and the East Midlands. The other 50% of the audience were UK academics from the John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute (Norwich), Earlham Institute (Norwich), University of Nottingham and the University of Bristol,
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Conference organiser of PAG San Diego attracting 3800 plant and animal researchers 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I am on the organising committee of the largest plant and animal ag genomics conference attracting some 3800 researchers, policy makers, industry etc
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019
 
Description DFW Open Day 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Designing Future Wheat (DFW) is a five-year RCUK/BBSRC funded research program on wheat improvement and breeding. During the DFW Open Day, an overview on the ongoing DFW research programs was provided and the guest speaker Matt Kirton (DSV) shared a breeders' perspective. There was also an opportunity to visit Rothamsted Research's world class laboratories and facilities in the morning, and a research farm in Redbourn (for a hands-on display of research projects ongoing in DFW) in the afternoon.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/events/designing-future-wheat-open-day
 
Description DFW Open Day Event at NIAB 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Alison Lovegrove andTill Pellny, June: DFW Open Day Event at NIAB. DFW Topic 2.1 'Enhanced Health Benefits' 21st June 2018
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description DFW Presentation to DEFRA chief science advisor 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A discussion of the outcomes and impact of WISP and DFW programmes
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Dissemination of project and results to date to EMBRAPA Trigo, Brazilian Farmers, Agronomists, AgIndustry and their Milling and Baking companies + links to many University Campus in Brazil as well as Kansas State University, USA 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Kim Hammond-Kosack gave a 30 min invited plenary presentation at an EMBRAPA Trigo organised event in Passo Fundo, Southern Brazil in June 2018. The event was the 12th Meeting of the Brazilian Wheat and Triticale Research Commission (RCBPTT) . This 3 day event had an audiences of ~ 350 attendees. The meeting was attended by EMBRAPA scientists from many of their centres, numerous Brazilian Farmers, Agronomists, various AgIndustry companies both breeding and Ag chemical and several Brazilian Milling, Baking companies, and wheat importers and exports. Also present were government regulators involved in determining the levels of grain and food contamination by mycotoxins. The entire event was linked to many University Campus in Brazil as well as Kansas State University, USA. The second invited plenary speaker was Professor Barbara Valent, Kansas State University, USA.

After both plenary presentations there was a 30 minute discussion and Q and A session hosted by Professor Mauricio Fernandez (Embrapa Trigo) focussing on the control of Fusarium Head blight and Wheat Blast in wheat by breeding , cultural and emerging GM and GE technologies.

During the event Kim Hammond-Kosack visited the private wheat breeding company Biotrigo to see the facilities available for wheat improvement, especially the control of fungal pathogens. Folow up conversations have continued with Biotrigo since this visit.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description East Anglia AICC talk and discussion - on line Sept 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Detailed on line two hr presentation and discussion on take-all root disease causes and problems in arable rotations where wheat crop frequency is high. The participants from Rothamsted were long time take-all team member and field trials specialist Gail Canning and Take-all team Leader Kim Hammond-Kosack. The discussions included the six AICC members explaining difficult on farm scenarios that had been repeatedly encounters at multiple sites in different years and asking our opinions on control options and alterations to the other cropped species and agronomic practices used in wheat dominated rotations. Post the meeting information was exchanged and we now have lists of cultivars that appear to do well in 2nd wheat situations across East and/or the Midlands that could possible be included in future field trial experimentation at Rothamsted.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Exploiting phenology and adaptation to improve NUE in wheat 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A talk " Exploiting phenology and adaptation to improve NUE in wheat" was given on 4 October 2017 at the Workshop of Virtual Joint Centres between India and the UK on "Challenges and opportunities for agricultural nitrogen science in India" held at NASC Complex, Pusa, DPS Marg, New Delhi (3-5 October 2017) by Dr John Foulkes.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Farmer_Agronomist engagement at Cereals Event June 2022 Cambridgeshire 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Phenomenal interest in this Take-all root disease and health root system display, > 1000 visitors over 2 days. A three poster and six large field plot display at the annual Cereals event. We showcased the LowTAB trait and how this could be used by farmers, farm managers and agronomists to improve the health of root systems in 2nd wheat rotation positions and hence improve fertiliser uptake. We were able to provide to the visitors a provisional recommended list for ~10 winter wheat cultivars tested over 2- 5 seasons so that they could make informed choices about which cultivars to use in 1st and/or 2nd wheat situations on their farms. Also considerable information was given on what are the major causes of this root disease and the effects of grass weeds on disease severity and resistance.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Festival of Ideas Open Weekend at Rothamsted - wheat zone: Looking back to the future 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact 22-24th June 2018 Festival of Ideas wheat zone Looking back to the future - Alison Lovegrove, Till Pellny, Abby Wood
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description FoMV vector 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact We prepared and published a press release covering our recently study: Clément Bouton et al. Foxtail mosaic virus: A viral vector for protein expression in cereals, Plant Physiology (2018). DOI: 10.1104/pp.17.01679. This stimulated increased interest in our research and our story has been picked up by 3 news outlets, twitted by 23, and blogged by 1..
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/vox-pops-cereal-challenge
 
Description Fungus Day Oct 2022 at RRes - The Cereal Killers 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Members of the general public members learnt about different kinds of pathogenic fungi that cause diseases on wheat plants and about our research into phytopathogenic fungi and the types of research approaches we use to find out about the genes and processes used by different fungal species to cause different types of diseases on wheat plants. There were a lot of questions asked by the visitors that required answers. The visitors also had the opportunity to discover first hand the fine details of different wheat disease and wheat infecting fungi growing on petri dishes with the aid of a binocular microscope.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Fusarium secretome 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact This was an invited seminar and discussion period with the company Corteva. The scientific audience was based at several of their sites in the USA who were primarily focussed on maize and soybean improvement and the threat of Fusarium diseases and mycotoxin contamination. The seminar was entitled 'The secretome of Fusarium: The known and unknown'. The audience included bioinformaticians, plant biotechologists, molecular plant pathologists and plant breeders.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Government Open Access article (Jan 2020), page 370 entitled ' Fighting infectious diseases: Protecting the global wheat crop with big data analysis and knowledge networks' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This article was written to increase awareness of the importance of crop plant health amongst UK and European politicians, leaders of industry and leaders of third sector organisations. The article had a focus on the effects of disease causing pathogens on the No 1 arable crop in Europe namely wheat and how experimentation is increasing becoming predictive through using big data sets and network analyses. The two BBSRC funded resources highlighted in this online and hard copy article are the Pathogen-Host Interactions database (PHI-base) and the knowledge graphical visualisation tool Knetminer.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=e7e6...
 
Description Government Open Access article (July 2019 and Oct 2019), entitled ' Global impact of wheat diseases: Finding new ways to disarm old enemies' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This article was written to increase awareness of the importance of crop plant health amongst UK and European politicians, leaders of industry and leaders of third sector organisations. The article had a focus on the effects of two disease causing fungal pathogens on the No 1 arable crop in Europe namely wheat.

As of early March 2020, this article has had a total reach* of 468,474 and a total engagement** of 303,066. Numbers provided by Open Government access * Total Reach - combined reach of all products where your content appeared. ** Total Engagement across all products where your content has appeared (digital editions, website and email newsletters)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/impact-of-wheat/68762/
 
Description Green Man Festival 2017/2018 - co-organiser and participant of the Plant Power Station 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The 'Plant Power Station' was a collaborative scientific outreach project between students across the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Cardiff as well as Rothamsted Research. Over the four day Green Man Festival held in the Brecon Beacons, approximately 3000 members of the public, of all ages, were successfully attracted to engage with members of the team about the importance of agriculture and the environment. Four interactive activities were carefully designed focusing on: pollinators, crop diversity and origins, plant products and a general agriculture-based quiz. Due to the success of the original event in 2017, measured through the feedback provided by the public, an application was successful to attend the event in 2018. In this instance the four interactive activities focused on: parasites, pollinators, pests and pesticides as well as carbon footprints.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017,2018
URL https://www.swbio.ac.uk/2017/10/04/promoting-plant-power-at-the-green-man-festival/
 
Description Hannah Blyth - Cafe Scientifique Harpenden Presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact On 25th June 2018, Hannah Blyth was one of the speakers at that month's Cafe Scientifique Harpenden event. This involved a short presentation on her research area and the aims of her future work, followed by a question and answer session. In attendance were approximately 30 members of the local Harpenden community, along with PhD students from Rothamsted Research. The subject area was the mutagenomic analysis of the wheat fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/cafe-scientifique-harpenden-6588711377
 
Description Hertfordshire County Show 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Several members of the team helped to present the Rothamsted Research activities at the Hertfordshire County show on 26th May 2019. The event lasted from approximately 08:30-17:00 and one of the activities included manning a stand and a practical plant DNA extraction which members of the public were able to take part in along with games designed to teach the difference between accuracy and precision. The responsibility of volunteers was to guide members of the public through these activities while explaining the scientific concepts involved and answering questions about our own research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/events/hertfordshire-county-show
 
Description Hosting of the 23rd International Plant Resistance to Insects Symposium 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The symposium focused on the increasing need for host plant resistance in insects and covered topics ranging from underlying mechanisms and plant breeding, to modelling and prediction of pest invasion. The symposium also included a number of discussion sessions from which project collaborations and position paper were planned.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/events/23rd-biannual-international-plant-resistance-insects-symposium
 
Description ICC Conference April 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Peter Shewry presented "Designing future wheat with improved quality and pest and disease resistance" at the ICC Conference, Science Meets Technology, Vienna, April 2019
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description INEW Review Meeting in Karnal, India 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact 24th Feb - 2nd Mar 2018: Malcolm Hawkesford, Peter Shewry and Till Pellny attended the INEW Review Meeting in Karnal, India
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Indo-UK Research Collaboration to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Wheat 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Soma Marla, ICAR.NBPGR, New Delhi, India
Nitrogen is the major agronomic input that determines the performance and productivity of wheat crop in both India and UK. With nitrogen being the major production cost for farmers, it has a huge environmental footprint, in terms of pollution of ground waters and generation of greenhouse gases. To minimize the use of applied Nitrogen fertilizers a cross-Institute pre-breeding programme (INEW virtual centre) under India-UK partnership is being executed to identify sources of traits and developing markers for use in academic research and transfer to commercial breeding programmes and responsibility for delivering improved wheat varieties to Indian farmers. The Virtual Joint Centre is bringing together major wheat researchers from ICAR.IARI in New Delhi, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Bourlag Institute for South Asia, Punjab, National Bureau of Plant Genetic resources, New Delhi and National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi,Punjab Agricultural University. UK partner institutions are Rothamsted research, University of Nottingham, University of Bristol, John Inns Centre and National Institute of Agricultural Botany.
The core of the project is precision field trials being conducted in India and UK using germplasm from both countries, in which the fate of nitrogen in the plant will be followed from root uptake to seed maturity, at limiting and adequate levels of fertilisation. Its impact on grain yield and grain quality in these lines will be studied in detail using the platform technologies (Fig.1) providing information on the relationship between performance and phenology. Major mandate includes integrated study of the genetic, biochemical and molecular basis for improved N use efficiency from mechanisms of nitrogen uptake to partitioning in the grain and effects on processing quality. Candidate genes that control key processes limiting N use efficiency will be identified. The study will be supported by genotyping of germplasm and identification of key genes, enzymes involved, their variation employing high density SNP arrays and transcriptome analysis. Molecular markers developed for key traits will be transferred to wheat breeders in UK and India.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Invited Speaker and panelist 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A presentation entitled: Aphid resistant wheat: is it probable or even possible?
Event attended by policymakers, agronomists, farmers and academics
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.bcpc.org/events/4th-pests-beneficials-review-2019
 
Description Invited Speaker and panelist 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited speaker and panel discussion on the Future of Crop Protection
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.bibalex.org/bva2018/home/home.aspx
 
Description Invited guest Lecture - University of Bath - Healthy humans, healthy animals, healthy crops, healthy food and healthy natural ecosystems. What's the problem ? 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Invited lecture focussing on the importance of different beneficial and detrimental fungi on society and the global economy. Examples were given for the major crop species in particular fungi that cause diseases on wheat and maize crops, how fungicide resistance emerges in plant, human and farmed animals and how fungi can be used to produce a wide range of high value metabolites and proteins. The PHI-base database was also explained as away to keep track of the genes required by fungi to cause disease. This special lecture concluded with a lively debate with the students many of which were international MSc students on how to improve plant healthy and make crop yield more resilient. We also discussed career pathways in science and the differences and similarities between doing research in a company, for a charity or at an academic institution.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Invited oral presentation given at Plant Health at the Age of Metagenomics, Scientific Colloquium -Paris France September 2019 by Kim Hammond-Kosack 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited Oral Presentation entitled 'Using a FAIR database and bioinformatics analyses to improve plant, human, animal and ecosystem health' at Plant Health at the Age of Metagenomics, given at a Scientific Colloquium organised by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization and the Euphresco network for phytosanitary research coordination and funding UNESCO, Paris, France, 26th September 2019.

This scientific colloquium focussed on ways to improve phytosanitation methods and the detection of emerging plant pathogen threats across the 31 different country borders throughout Europe

Link to the video-recordings - http://bit.ly/350Hm1P
Link to the recorded presentation - https://zenodo.org/record/3471776#.XZY8z0Yzbcs
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://zenodo.org/record/3471776#.XZY8z0Yzbcs
 
Description Invited plenary talk at International Conference - Secreted Fusarium effectors 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited to give the opening plenary talk at the US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative annual National Fusarium Head Blight Forum conference. In 2020 this was entirely an online event with research scientists, plant breeders and plant biotechnologists from > 60 countries. The slide set presented is available from the Forum website. The Forum was held in Dec 2020.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://scabusa.org/forum2020
 
Description Invited to participation in the Syngenta R&D Showcase event held at DEBIS London in Nov2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact All the attendees took part in four interactive presentation and discussion sessions on research and innovation to improve the productivity and resilience of Agricultural crops in the UK, Europe and globally. The attendees discussed and debated the emerging alternative technologies available, for example use of drones to identify weeds, pests and pathogens to be controlled, converting crops to all hybrids, for example wheat and barley, the use of genome editing for targetted genome improvements, satellite technologies and crop growth modeling to explore the impact of different environmental / cropping scenarios.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description John Innes Centre open day to the public 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact To show the general public plant science research in practise.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description LiveWheat project - Lead organisation The Organic Research Centre - Cirencester 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Attended the annual project meeting in 2020 and 2021 , to discuss low input agriculture for successful wheat crops. Provided expertise for fungal disease control.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020,2021
URL https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/our-research/research-project-library/farm-based-organic-varie...
 
Description M Urban conference poster 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Poster 'Harnessing community expertise to determine anti-infective target sites' presented at Resistance '19, Rothamsted UK. 16-18th Sept 2019
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Market research - interviews with stakeholders 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Interviews with stakeholders for industry feedback on the attractiveness of this new technology and the specific requirements for deploying the multispectral imaging tool, contact has been made with a range of relevant organisations in the pest monitoring and crop protection market. Primary and secondary research identified strong interest in the multispectral imaging system and a clear need for rapid and early detection of aphid or viral damage in crops. Several of the companies/organisations approached recognised the systems benefits both for crop monitoring and plant breeding purposes.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Member of the board of the G20 wheat initative 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I am a board member of the G20 wheat initiative set up by the G20 agricultural ministers to facilitate coordination of wheat research in the G20 countries. We organise working group to facilitate such coordination, and to identify priorities for funding by funding agencies within the G20 countries
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018
 
Description Member of the management board of CGIAR wheat programme (CIMMYT and ICARD) to breed wheat for the resource-poor in the developing World 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A management board member of CGIAR wheat programme (CIMMYT and ICARD) to breed wheat for the resource-poor in the developing World
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019
 
Description Monogram April 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Alison Lovegrove presented "Improving the quality of staple foods to deliver health benefits" at Monogram, Nottingham UK, 30th April 2019
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description NABIM Science Day, London, November 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Peter Shewry, Alison Lovegrove - NABIM Science day, London, Talk on 3 industrially-funded projects, to UK millers and associated industries
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description New Scientist Live Excel London - Oct 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact The Fusarium team in collaboration with the PHI-base, Knetminer, EMBL-EBI, the BSPP and the Wellcome Connecting Science teams devised and presented a large display at New Scientist Live (ExCel London, October 2022), providing posters, hands-on interactive activities, and career advice on the topics of disease and mycotoxin control, DNA extraction, genomics, biocuration, and network analysis. On display table No1 were wheat plants infected with Fusarium head blight, infected and non-infected grains, the chemical structure of the DON mycotoxin as well as wheat plants infected with the Take-all fungus, petri dishes with fungal cultures and a binocular microscope to aid detailed viewing of infected plant material and /or the fungus. On display table 6 was a newly devised interactive game that allowed the visitor to learn about current disease control strategies and future NextGen options based around genomics, functional genomics and/or effector biology for ten globally important arable crop, horticultural and animal husbandry disease problems. FHB disease of wheat was one of the disease problems that could be selected. In total, 21,500 visitors attended the event (one day for school-age children and two days for the general public), and ~1,000 visitors explored our display, with ~20% staying for 1-2 hours. We had a diverse team consisting of post-docs, PhD students and undergraduates across six nationalities. Include in the display team for all 3 days from this project were Martin Urban and Kim Hammond-Kosack.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://live.newscientist.com/
 
Description Norfolk forum Science festival 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact To provide the general public with an insight into plant science research
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Open air poster presentation on the Harpenden Campus entitled 'Protecting wheat from take-all root disease' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The tree lined avenue on the Rothamsted Research Harpenden Campus was filled with 'Outreach style' poster presentations for topics relevant to ongoing research projects. This topic was selected for its links to DFW. The presenter at this June event was PhD student Tania Chancellor
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Organisation a day workshop at Eucarpia meeting , Clermont_Ferrand Paris, with INRA (French) and Proweizen (German ) and CIMMYT researchers 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The worship was to discuss possible collaborations which could lead to bids into the EU for funding
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description P Shewry Plenary talk 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Exploiting Genomics to Improve the Health Benefits of Wheat and Other Whole Grain Cereals". Plenary Talk to grain scientists and nutritionists from academia and companies at Whole Grain Summit (on line). 25 October 2021
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description P Shewry invited lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact "Immune Reactions to Wheat" to British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Harrogate 8 October 2021, mainly clinical and nutrition but also companies
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description P Shewry online talk 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Online Talk "Developing High Fibre White Flour for UK Millers and Bakers" to Technical Committee Federation of Bakers. Dec 1 2021
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description P Shewry webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Developing High Fibre Wheat for White Bread" UK Flour Millers. Webinar. 28 Jan Part of 'Fibre February campaign.'
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Panel discussion on Gene editing and innovative breeding opportunities for wheat - Joint WGIN - DFW Stakeholder event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Currently, the UK government is holding an open consultation on Gene Editing (https://consult.defra.gov.uk/agri-food-chain-directorate/the-regulation-of-genetic-technologies/) which is due to close on 17th March 2021.

The objective of the 5 person expert panel discussion was to explore the issues and benefits of using GE technology to improve wheat and other arable crops grown in the UK. The expert panel included the head of a plant transformation facility at a leading UK institute, an innovative farmer, a director of a UK based plant breeding company , and two leading UK scientists using GE and GM to provide new traits in crop plant species.

Prior to the debate 2 presentations were given by experts on GE to explain the technology, the laws surrounding the use of this technology in commercial settings and to give examples of the new traits so far delivered into wheat by GE
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL http://www.wgin.org.uk/stakeholders/stakeholdermeetings.php
 
Description Presentation at the conference for the UK Millers and bakers (NABIM-london) on DFW 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Was asked to provide further information on the coordinated DFW programme
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Presentation on DFW at the DEFRA stakeholders WGIN meeting at RRES 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Request for more information on the programme
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Presentation on WISP/DFW to ACC1 Cereals and Grains conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact The presentation was to inform the cereal grain (rice, maize and wheat) processes community on the step change which has occurred in wheat research and the involvement of WISP/DFW in the step change
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Presentation on WISP/DFW to the BBSRC legume community 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The presentation was to describe how the UK coordinated wheat programme was put together, and the impact the programme has had on the step change which has occurred in wheat research
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Presentation on WISP/DFW to the BBSRC rice community 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation described how the coordinated WISP/DFW UK wheat programme was put together, and the impact the programme has had on the step change which has occurred in wheat research
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Presentations at Whole Grain Summit, Vienna, , November 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited speaker and member of organizing group for "Breeding and Biotechnology" topic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Press release on PHI-base update article Urban et al. Nucleic Acids Research article (Nov 2019) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This press release highlighted the increasing number of PHI-base entries that have recorded an increase in virulence (hypervirulence) phenotype as a result of a deliberate single gene change, typically a gene deletion or point mutation in pathogenic species that infect either plants, animal or human hosts. Collectively, these results highlight that the pathogenic process is controlled by an increasing diversity of negative feedback loops that can be altered through mutation and result in viable new strains that can cause increased disease symptoms and / or in host pathogen burden.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/gene-data-suggests-superbug-threat-underestimated
 
Description RRes video 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact RRES video for World Food Day.on improving the quality of wheat to make bread healthier
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Regular interactions with the company Anglia Water since Jan 2020 to discuss ways to increase farmers knowledge of take-all root disease in sensitive water catchment areas and new ways to control this disease problem through crop genetics. Have produced two posters and a video which have been shared with farmers in the Bedford - Huntingdon region 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Discussion with drinking water company to explain the problem of root diseases in cereal crops and how this causes nutrient run off into neighbouring water courses
Explained a new genetic solution to controlling take-all root disease by growing commercial elite wheat cultivar that have the low Take-all inoculum build-up (LowTAB ) trait
Produced two posters and a video to explain the take-all disease problem to farmers in East Anglia
Identified a trial group of farmers to engage with.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020,2021
 
Description Rothamsted Research Seminar entitled ' Health Crops - Healthy Food' given on 4th November 2019 by Kim Hammond-Kosack 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Th contents of this invited presentation was pitched to be accessible to PhD students, Post doc and PI across all the diverse departments at Rothamsted as well as members of the general public. The focus of the 1st part of the presentation was global food security and specifically the impact of fungal plant pathogens. The 2nd part of the seminar specifically focussed on the research that has been done at Rothamsted over the past 3-5 years investigating the Fusarium - wheat interaction and our plans to take new research results forward to provide novel approaches to disease control.

In total, 108 people attended. The seminar was followed by a good Q and A session and follow-up discussions / questions over the subsequent days and weeks.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Rothamsted Festival of Ideas 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact It was our Institute's (Rothamsted Research) 175th birthday and we were celebrating with a Festival of Ideas. The event was free and open to all with something for everyone, from young to old. Our Festival brought together activities, exhibitions and demonstrations to immerse general public in the science of feeding the world. Numerous live plant displays and demonstration have been organised, as well as posters, interactive displays, tractor rides, talks, games and a trove of other astonishing exhibits describing our proud history of ground-breaking discoveries, from crop treatment to crop protection, from statistical interpretation to soils management.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/events/rothamsted-festival-ideas
 
Description Rothamsted Press release accompanying a global press release entitled ' One Giant Leap for Wheat' 16th August 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This press release accompanied a peer reviewed publication in Science entitled ' Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome' . More than 200 scientists from 73 research institutes in 20 countries over 13 years have produced the most comprehensive map of a wheat genome, paving the way for more resilient and nutritious varieties of a staple crop that feeds more than a third of the global human population.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/one-giant-leap-wheat
 
Description Rothamsted Press release accompanying a global press release by CSIRO and USA collaborators - Entitled 'Rust Stemmed for Wheat' - 22nd Dec 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A press release entitles entitled 'Rust Stemmed for Wheat' - 22nd Dec 2017 attracted considerable follow-up media attention.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rust-stemmed-wheat
 
Description Rothamsted Press release also involving the project sponsor Syngenta entitled ' VOX POPS Cereal Challenge' 13th August 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The VOX POPS Cereal Challenge accompanied the publication of a Plant Physiology article entitled ' Foxtail mosaic virus: A Viral Vector for Protein Expression in Cereals'
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/vox-pops-cereal-challenge
 
Description Rothamsted Press release accompanying a regional and national press release entitled ' The good, the bad and their fortuitous differences' 20th April 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This press release accompanied a publication in in journal BMC Genomics entitled ' Inter-genome comparison of the Quorn fungus Fusarium venenatum and the closely related plant infecting pathogen Fusarium graminearum. This was folowed by an interview with the local BBC radio station covering the St Albans / North London regions, namely Radio Verulamium.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/good-bad-and-their-fortuitous-differences
 
Description Rothamsted Press release joint with JIC and INRA France accompanying a global press release entitled ' Another blow to fungal infection' - 12th February 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Press release accompanying a Nature Genetics publication entitled 'Wheat receptor-kinase-like protein Stb6 controls gene-for-gene resistance to fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici'. This publication has raised considerable interest in the global wheat breeding industry and with CIMMYT.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/another-blow-fungal-infection
 
Description Rothamsted Press release with follow up national and international press releases entitled ' Crop immunisation can root out take-all infections' 22nd May 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This press release accompanied the paper published in the Journal of Experimental Botany entitled ' Elite UK winter wheat cultivars differ in their ability to support the colonization of beneficial root-infecting fungi' . There has been considerable interest for the international wheat breeding community in this new trait.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/crop-immunisation-can-root-out-take-all-fungus
 
Description Rothamsted Press release with follow up national and international press releases entitled ' First step to lasting wheat health', 22nd June 2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact This press release accompanied the peer reviewed publication in the Journal Nature Scientific Reports entitled ' Exploring the resilience of wheat crops grown in short rotations through minimising the build-up of an important soil-borne fungal pathogen'.

This project was primarily support by the long running defra funded Wheat Genetic Improvement Network ( http://www.wgin.org.uk/) but required additional BBSRC funding in the ISPs 'Protection Yield Potential of Wheat' and 'Designing Future Wheat' o complete. Various agronomist companies and AHDB are interesting in applying this new knowledge into the arable crop rotation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/first-step-lasting-wheat-health
 
Description Rothamsted Research "Meet a Scientist" event, 29th March 2021 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Christopher Stephens was engaged in discussions with four school students aged 16-17, answering their questions about scientific careers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Rothamsted-Syngenta Alliance Success Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Oral and poster presentations of our new FoMV technology for protein expression in monocot crops sparked questions and discussion. Potential new uses for this technology have been discussed.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Royal Society of Biology - Plant Health discussions - 3 day event March2021 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The event actually started 6 months ago with opinions from across the plant science community collated into a series of visualisations (https://planthealth.rsb.org.uk/the-conversation.html).

Over these three days the ~100 delegates from a range of institutions including Rothamsted and DFW listened to talks and becoming involved in a series of breakout rooms discussing various topics/issues, after which all attendees provided feedback to the wider group. The delegates thought that although there was great networks already existing within individual arable and horticultural crop community, there seems to be fewer networks that worked across the overall plant health sector.

Delegates included Minister for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity, and Chief Plant Health Officers for the UK.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020,2021
URL https://planthealth.rsb.org.uk/the-conversation.html
 
Description STEM article targeting 11-16 year age group 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A joint team involving the four member PHI-base team at Rothamsted Research and three members of the EBI Ensembl Invertebrates team have devised a STEM article on Big Data and Plant Heath to attract more school pupils into a career in science. The six page article plus a 1 page activities sheet is entitled ' Saving Plants from Disease' . The article will be published in March 2019 in the second issue of a new outreach journal called Futurum Careers, published by Sci-Comm Consulting, UK. This company found the Abstract of the BBSRC BBR grant 'PhytoPath, an infrastructure for hundreds of plant pathogen genomes' ( PI Kim Hammond-Kosack) and also consulted with two members of the BBSRC to identify a science group specifically working with big data and wet biology.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018,2019
 
Description STEMPoint East, Inspiration Week "Opening Doors with Biology", Oct 2020 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact A talk was presented by Christopher Stephens to 14 schools (459 students aged 14-16) and focussed on Chris's route into science and the positives of carrying out a PhD.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Science and Engineering Inspiration Event, St Joan of Arc School, Rickmansworth 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact I participated in a "Science and Engineering Inspiration Event" at St Joan of Arc School in Rickmansworth, 21st March 2019. At this event myself and another researcher from Rothamsted, Anu Bansal, manned a stall and discussed our STEM careers and the underlying science behind our research with groups of secondary school children.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Take-all - wheat plots and poster demonstrations at Cereals in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Take-all - wheat plots and poster demonstrations in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 were used to communicate our research results and their implications for the control of root diseases to farmers and industry at the annual Cereals event. In 2012 and 2014 we focussed on communicating our research on identifying root resistance to take-all disease in wheat landraces, the wheat D genome progenitor Aegilops tauschii and the ancient einkorn wheat Triticum monococcum. We included small plots of these different species and take-all infected root samples to show visitors. In 2015 and 2016 we focussed on genetic control of take-all using the low take-all inoculum building trait in elite wheat varieties. In 2015 Sarah-Jane Osborne (Take-all PhD student, BBSRC+AHDB+Agrii funding), aligned to this and other related project, manned an additional poster display on the AHDB stand on her PhD work characterising the potential biocontrol Phialophora fungal species. In 2016 Joseph Moughan (Take-all PhD student, fully Syngenta funded) also had a separate poster display on the RRes stand in the Rothamsted Syngenta 20:20 wheat collaboration (RoSy) area illustrating his progress on combining genetics and chemistry for integrated take-all disease management.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012,2014,2015,2016
 
Description Take-all poster display and video at the virtual Cereal 2020 event 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Online poster display and video to highlight the importance of take-all root disease in wheat crops, the various aspects of the ongoing research studies within the five person Take-all team and to explain the new ways we have devised to control this disease.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcVlx7R5QZ
 
Description Tania Chancellor - Cafe Scientifique Harpenden Presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact On 25th June 2018, Tania Chancellor was one of the speakers at that month's Cafe Scientifique Harpenden event. This involved a short presentation on her research area and the aims of her future work, followed by a question and answer session. In attendance were approximately 30 members of the local Harpenden community, along with PhD students from Rothamsted Research. The subject area was Gaeumannomyces graminis, the causal agent of take all disease of wheat, and its interactions with the soil microbiome.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/cafe-scientifique-harpenden-6588711377
 
Description Task Force for Open Weekend 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Task Force in preparation for the RRes Open weekend to be held in June 2018. it is aimed at the general public, schools and local dignitaries.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description The Watkins Collection as a Source for Genetically Versatile Pre-Breeding Lines for NUE 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Till K Pellny
4th Conference of Cereal Biotechnology and Breeding
06-09 Nov 2017, Budapest, Hungary
Conference poster: The Watkins Collection as a Source for Genetically Versatile Pre-Breeding Lines for NUE
1st Prize for the Outstanding Poster
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network Stakeholder event - a joint defra- BBSRC UK stakeholder engagement event held November 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Organised this joint WGIN-DFW event for approximately 80 stakeholders from the UK attended this full day event held at Rothamsted Research on the 14th November 2019 The audience included representatives from the nine UK based commercial wheat breeders, UK farmers and farm advisers, SMEs and AHDB as well as staff members, post docs and PhD students from NIAB, John Innes Centre, Rothamsted Research and UK universities. The DFW project was introduced by Graham Moore (JIC) and the DFW presentation entitled 'Has Intensive Breeding Resulted in Changes in the Composition of Wheat Grain and Flour?' was given by Peter Shewry.

The afternoon panel discussion with a high relevance to ongoing DFW research was on ' Farming without Insecticides - New Opportunities'
The panel included Panel discussion with Ruth Bryant (RAGT), Paul Drinkwater (DeRamsey Farm, Huntingdon),
Toby Bruce (Keele University), Steve Ellis (Entomologist ADAS), Lin Field (RRes) and was chaired by
Kim Hammond-Kosack (RRes)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL http://www.wgin.org.uk/stakeholders/stakeholdermeetings.php
 
Description UK Arable Mycotoxin Stakeholder Forum organised by the UK Flour Millers - 30th November 2021 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Oral presentation given by Kim Hammond-Kosack , followed by a Q and A session on ways to minimise Fusarium mycotoxins entering the cereal grain commodities market.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description UK Civil Service Fast-stream programme _Nov 2023_Rothamsted 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact 30 min talk + 10 min Q&A on global food security and the biotic threats encounter both historic and recent. Then focussed on the current biotic threats to the UK wheat crop and the types of research approaches ongoing in DFW and DSW to help to provide alternative pest and pathogen control strategies and novel targets for intervention. Also discussed various UK policies which are in place to effectively minimise the biotic threat risk, whilst pointing out that air borne threats pose are the most challenging for policy makers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description UKRI Festival of Tomorrow 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact UKRI Festival of Tomorrow, Flour Power- the science of bread Feb. 2021
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative - FHB forum 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited to give a seminar to the US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative - FHB forum 2017, which consisted of around 200 academics and industrial partners, primarily from the USA and Canada, but also Europe. The purpose of the visit was to interact with the International Fusarium research community. This highlighted our published research on Fusarium transcriptomics, while advertising our on-going research on Fusarium G-protein coupled receptors. Interactions with a researcher at the USDA resulted in a joint publication on the development of a new bioinformatics resource for the Fusarium research community.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://scabusa.org/pdfs/nfhbf17_program_web.pdf
 
Description Wheat Career talk given at the John Innes Centre ( 23rd April 2019) by Kim Hammond-Kosack 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Career talk given to an audience of ~ 65 persons who were PhD students, Post -Docs, research fellows or junior, intermediate and senior group leaders about my career path into wheat research, what my current position is in wheat research and at the institute, what have been major challenges in the past to my career development in wheat and what are the current challenges to scientists considering a career in wheat research. This was followed by a Q and A session and then small group discussions over lunch on specific topics with the early career wheat scientists.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Wheat Initiative - Expert Global Working Group on Pests and Diseases. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The proposal focusses on 11 pathogens plus aphids and has the aim to reduce by half the losses they cause by -1- better diagnosis, -2- curation of global isolate collections and -3- identification, mapping and distribution of germplasm carrying durable resistance genes.

The group met on line for discussions on 5th June 2020 and follow up documentation was prepared and submitted to the Science Board of the Wheat Initiative
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Wheat Stb6 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact We prepared and published a press release covering our recently study: Saintenac et al. (2018) Wheat receptor kinase-like protein Stb6 controls gene-for-gene resistance to fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Nature Genetics, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-018-0051-x.. This stimulated increased interest in our research and our story has been picked up by 7 news outlets, and twitted by 85.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/another-blow-fungal-infection
 
Description Workshop 'Working together to consider the role of biofortification in the global food chain', London 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Peter Shewry and Malcolm Hawkesford attended a workshop 'Working together to consider the role of biofortification in the global food chain', London. 2nd May 2018
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Workshop Madrid Nov 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Keynote speaker "Improving Nutritional Quality of Wheat" at Workshop on Physiology and Breeding of Grain Quality in Cereals, Polytechnic University of Madrid, 29th November 2019
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description article for UK Flour Millers' newsletter 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact article for UK Flour Millers' newsletter
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.ukflourmillers.org/post/white-flour-and-fibre-a-new-strategy
 
Description demonstration of INEW field trial at Nottingham 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact The INEW field trial at Nottingham was demonstrated to the East Midlands Farmers' Association group in a visit in June 2017.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description member of the G20 wheat Initiative Science board during 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The members of the science board discuss how to better coordinate the wheat research activities in the G20 countries
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020
 
Description member of the management board of the CGIAR wheat programme (CIMMYT and ICARDA) to breed wheat for the resource poor in the developing world 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I offer advice to the management team of the wheat CGIAR programme
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020
 
Description member of the organising committee for PAG 2020 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Suggest plenary speakers for inviting to speak at PAG 2020 meeting attracting 3000 animal and plant researchers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description podcast 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact podcast for BASF Ag Solutions called "The Science Behind Your Salad", topic wheat research at Rothamsted
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description press article BBConline 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists find secret to healthier white bread" BBC Online, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-51404197
 
Description press article Bakery and Snacks 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Scientists open avenue for manufacturers to one day produce a high fibre white bread R&D", Bakery and Snacks, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2020/02/05/Scientists-open-avenue-for-manufacturers-to-one-d...
 
Description press article Bakeryinfo.co.uk 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Scientists make white flour with twice the fibre content", Bakeryinfo.co.uk, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://ct.moreover.com/?a=41313137719&p=2bp&v=1&x=4fxy2mFm7Anh9eczjzTw-Q
 
Description press article BioPortfolio 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact "Scientists prove high fibre white bread is possible", BioPortfolio , 7th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.bioportfolio.com/news/article/4216881/Scientists-prove-high-fibre-white-bread-is-possibl...
 
Description press article FG Insight 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "High fibre wheat genes identified for healthier white bread" FG Insight, 5th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.fginsight.com/news/high-fibre-wheat-genes-identified-for-healthier-white-bread-102055
 
Description press article Farming UK 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "High fibre wheat genes identified by UK scientists", Farming UK, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.farminguk.com/news/high-fibre-wheat-genes-identified-by-uk-scientists_54918.html
 
Description press article Food Navigator 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists open avenue for manufacturers to one day produce a high fibre white bread", Food Navigator, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/02/05/Scientists-open-avenue-for-manufacturers-to-one-day...
 
Description press article Hertfordshire Life (Online) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "A farmer's life in the 21st century", Hertfordshire Life (Online)10th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://ct.moreover.com/?a=41343218463&p=2bp&v=1&x=fnytI8zKY3Zjr3xxWA6gFA
 
Description press article MailOnline 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Gene-edited wheat could lead to high-fibre white bread in UK", MailOnline. 5th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7970697/High-fibre-white-bread-sale-Britain-5-years-...
 
Description press article New Food Magazine 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Scientists develop high fibre white flour to produce 'healthier white bread'", New Food Magazine, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/news/104690/scientists-develop-high-fibre-white-flour-to-produce-hea...
 
Description press article SeedQuest 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists prove that high fibre white loaf is possible - Group identifies parts of the genome that control fibre content of white flour, raising hope that products with be in shops within five years" SeedQuest, 5th Feb 2020 - Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.seedquest.com/news.php?type=news&id_article=113803
 
Description press article The Amed Post 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Gene-edited wheat could lead to high-fibre white bread in UK", The Amed Post, 5th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://amedpost.com/gene-edited-wheat-could-lead-to-high-fibre-white-bread-in-uk/
 
Description press article The Amed Post 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "High-fibre white bread could be on sale in Britain within five years", The Amed Post, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://amedpost.com/high-fibre-white-bread-could-be-on-sale-in-britain-within-five-years/
 
Description press article The Dundee Messsenger 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists find secret to healthier white bread", The Dundee Messenger, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://dundeemessenger.co.uk/uk-news/scientists-find-secret-to-healthier-white-bread/
 
Description press article The Global Miller 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact publication article in The Global Miller "Scientists prove high fibre white bread is possible", 31st Jan 2020 - Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://gfmt.blogspot.com/2020/01/scientists-prove-high-fibre-white-bread.html
 
Description press article The Scottish Farmer 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists working towards 'high fibre' white bread" The Scottish Farmer
2nd Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://gfmt.blogspot.com/2020/01/scientists-prove-high-fibre-white-bread.html
 
Description press article i News 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "A white loaf that's as nutritious as brown bread could be available within five years" 5th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove, i News
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://inews.co.uk/news/health/white-loaf-brown-bread-nutrition-food-1386384
 
Description press article iflscience 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists Gene-Edited Wheat To Create High-Fiber White Bread That's Actually Good For You", I Fucking Love Science, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/scientists-geneedited-wheat-to-create-highfiber-white-...
 
Description press article, AgroPages.com 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Scientists prove that high fibre white loaf is possible", AgroPages.com, 6th Feb 2020, Alison Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://news.agropages.com/News/NewsDetail---34027.htm
 
Description press article, CPM Magazine 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Scientists prove high fibre white bread is possible, CPM Magazine, 7th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/2020/02/07/scientists-prove-high-fibre-white-bread-is-possible/
 
Description press article, Fijivillage.com 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Scientists find secret to healthier white bread", Fijivillage.com, 9th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://fijivillage.com/news/Scientists-find-secret-to-healthier-white-bread-sr5k29/
 
Description press article, Food Management Today 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact "Scientists discover the answer to high-fibre white bread", Food Management Today, 10th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.foodmanagement.today/scientists-discover-the-answer-to-high-fibre-white-bread/
 
Description press article, FoodIngredientsFirst 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "The best thing since sliced bread? "High fiber white bread could be in supermarkets within five years," say researchers", FoodIngredientsFirst, 6th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/the-best-thing-since-sliced-bread-high-fiber-white-bread-c...
 
Description press article, Genetic Literacy Project 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Healthier white bread could be in stores by 2025, after genes controlling wheat fiber content identified, Genetic Literacy Project, 7th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL http://www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/2020/02/07/scientists-prove-high-fibre-white-bread-is-possible/
 
Description press article, LongRoom.com (2) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "High-fibre white bread could be on sale in Britain within five years", LongRoom.com, 6th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.longroom.com/discussion/1787137/high-fibre-white-bread-could-be-on-sale-in-britain-withi...
 
Description press article, LongRoom.com(1) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "High-fibre white bread could be on sale in Britain within five years", LongRoom.com, 6th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.longroom.com/discussion/1787137/high-fibre-white-bread-could-be-on-sale-in-britain-withi...
 
Description press article, MailOnline 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "High-fibre white bread could be on sale in Britain within five years", MailOnline, 6th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7970697/High-fibre-white-bread-sale-Britain-5-years-...
 
Description press article, The BMJ 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact "Sixty seconds on.white bread", thebmj, 10th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m542.full
 
Description press article, World Bakers 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Scientists Prove High Fiber White Bread Is Possible", World Bakers, 7th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.worldbakers.com/ingredient/scientists-prove-high-fiber-white-bread-is-possible/
 
Description press article, foodprocessing.com.au 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact HospitalHealth: "Is this the best thing since sliced bread?", 10th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.foodprocessing.com.au/content/ingredients/article/is-this-the-best-thing-since-sliced-br...
 
Description press article, iNews (2) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "White bread isn't as healthy as brown but it's no sin to love the taste", i News, 7th Feb 2020, A Lovegrove
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://inews.co.uk/news/health/white-bread-health-flavour-nutrition-analysis-sandwiches-1392268