Global food security given another boost with new wheat variety An international consortium of scientists has developed a hardy new wheat variety that is resistant to a particularly virulent fungal disease that threatens global food security.
According to the study – partially funded by The 2Blades Foundation and
published in Nature Biotechnology – stem rust is one of the world’s most devastating plant diseases, with records of stem rust pandemics dating back over 2,000 years.
The stem rust pathogen
Puccinia graminis is capable of completely destroying a crop of wheat in a matter of weeks.
The most effective and environmentally benign way to control wheat rust is through the use of genetic resistance and a successful solution was developed by Norman Borlaug’s breakthrough Green Revolution in the 1960s.
Nature Biotechnology publishes research on wheat resistant to rust fungal diseases
The most effective and environmentally benign way to control wheat rust is through the use of genetic resistance. Courtesy photo
Nature Biotechnology has published research partially funded by The 2Blades Foundation on the development of a new wheat variety that shows exceptional resistance to wheat stem rust.
Stem rust is among the world’s most devastating plant diseases, with records of stem rust pandemics dating back over 2000 years. The stem rust pathogen Puccinia graminis is capable of completely destroying a crop of wheat in a matter of weeks.
The most effective and environmentally benign way to control wheat rust is through the use of genetic resistance. The recurring threat to the wheat crop had been managed successfully in the 1960s through Norman Borlaug’s breeding of the wheat varieties introduced in the Green Revolution. But rust pathogen races have now evolved to overcome that
Global food security given another boost with new wheat variety An international consortium of scientists has developed a hardy new wheat variety that is resistant to a particularly virulent fungal disease that threatens global food security.
According to the study – partially funded by The 2Blades Foundation and
published in Nature Biotechnology – stem rust is one of the world’s most devastating plant diseases, with records of stem rust pandemics dating back over 2,000 years.
The stem rust pathogen
Puccinia graminis is capable of completely destroying a crop of wheat in a matter of weeks.
The most effective and environmentally benign way to control wheat rust is through the use of genetic resistance and a successful solution was developed by Norman Borlaug’s breakthrough Green Revolution in the 1960s.
CSIRO Gene Sandwich to Boost Wheat Resistance to Rust January 6, 2021
Side-by-side comparison of the rust protection in action, right, and unprotected wheat. Photo Source: University of Minnesota
Researchers at Australia s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have led an international effort to develop wheat plants with a stronger and potentially more durable level of resistance against rust diseases by stacking five resistance genes together. Our approach is like putting five locks on a door – you re making it very difficult to get in, said lead CSIRO researcher Dr. Mick Ayliffe. He added that this novel approach of building multiple layers of protection will make it much harder for rust pathogens to successfully attack wheat.