Genetics and mechanisms of resistance to diseases caused by viral and fungal pathogens in wheat, barley and related plant species
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
This project will focus on genetic and functional characterisation of genes in wheat, barley and related cereal species that are required for resistance to agronomically important diseases caused by (i) soil-borne viruses (Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus, SBCMV; Soil-borne- wheat mosaic virus, SBWMV; Barley yellow mosaic virus, BaYMV; Barley mild mosaic virus; BaMMV), (ii) necrotrophic fungus Septoria tritici (teleomorph Mycosphaerella graminicola) and, (iii) Fusarium spp. fungi. Genes controlling resistance to these pathogens in cereal crops have not been isolated yet. Objectives:1) identify and characterise resistance to the soil-borne viruses (SBCMV, SBWMV, BaYMV and BaMMV) in cereal cultivars and related species. This will include identification of novel resistance sources for durable disease control, genetic mapping of resistance genes, development of molecular markers for resistance, and both molecular and biological characterisation of the resistance mechanism(s); 2) produce a high resolution genetic map for the Stb6 locus specifying resistance to M. graminicola isolate IPO323 in wheat as a pre-requisite for gene isolation using a positional cloning approach. This will include screening of large mapping populations for resistance to M. graminicola as well as genetic linkage analyses using existing genetic markers (i.e. SSR, RFLP, etc.) and development of novel markers (i.e. AFLP, DArT, BES, CAPS, COS, etc.) more closely linked to Stb6. Please note: the actual isolation of Stb6 is not feasible using the current level of CSG funding; 3) establish at Rothamsted the published VIGS reverse genetics system based on Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) in wheat and related cereal species (i.e. T. monococcum) to enable rapid identification of genes functions with particular focus on candidate wheat and T. monococcum genes involved in resistance and / or susceptibility to M. graminicola and Fusarium spp. Includes two BBSRC funded quota studentships.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Publications
Cuomo CA
(2007)
The Fusarium graminearum genome reveals a link between localized polymorphism and pathogen specialization.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Jing HC
(2008)
Phenotypic and genetic analysis of the Triticum monococcum-Mycosphaerella graminicola interaction.
in The New phytologist
Jing HC
(2009)
DArT markers: diversity analyses, genomes comparison, mapping and integration with SSR markers in Triticum monococcum.
in BMC genomics
Jing HC
(2007)
Identification of variation in adaptively important traits and genome-wide analysis of trait-marker associations in Triticum monococcum.
in Journal of experimental botany
Lyons R
(2009)
Characterization of two unusual features of resistance to soilborne cereal mosaic virus in hexaploid wheat: leakiness and gradual elimination of viral coat protein from infected root tissues.
in Molecular plant-microbe interactions : MPMI
Lyons R
(2008)
Identification and characterization of a novel efficient resistance response to the furoviruses SBWMV and SBCMV in barley.
in Molecular plant-microbe interactions : MPMI
Urban M
(2011)
Inactivation of plant infecting fungal and viral pathogens to achieve biological containment in drainage water using UV treatment.
in Journal of applied microbiology
Winnenburg R
(2008)
PHI-base update: additions to the pathogen host interaction database.
in Nucleic acids research
| Description | Sources of resistance to soil borne viruses in wheat and barley which have been passed onto UK and European commercial breeders The identification of the 3LySM effector in the fungal pathogen is required for Septoria tritici disease formation on wheat leaves. The development of two novel transgenic stains of the fungus Fusarium graminearum to track colonisation through the wheat floral tissue |
| Exploitation Route | Novel methods of fungal and viral disease control in wheat and barley |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
| Description | BBSRC- Quota to Rothamsted Research (Deller) |
| Amount | £76,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2005 |
| End | 09/2009 |
| Description | Wheat Genetic Improvement Network ( WGIN) - phase 2 |
| Amount | £1,949,153 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | IF0146 |
| Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2008 |
| End | 11/2013 |
| Description | Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) |
| Amount | £1,850,539 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AR0709 |
| Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2003 |
| End | 11/2008 |
| 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. |