In 2001, new strains of stripe rust an aggressive wheat fungal disease typically associated with cooler, damper climates began to emerge in California. The new strains were more virulent and better adapted to warmer climates throughout the world. By 2003, the strains had caused an epidemic in the U.S., wiping out 25 percent of California’s wheat crop, says Jorge Dubcovsky, plant geneticist and professor of plant sciences who leads the small grains breeding program at UC Davis. That’s a significant threat, considering wheat is the world’s second-highest produced grain behind corn, according to Statista, a market data provider. “We produce more than 750