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A multi-R gene stack for durable resistance to wheat stem rust

Reference	BBS/E/J/000CA562
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Brande Wulff
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	284,336
Status	Current
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/07/2014
End date	30/06/2017
Duration	35 months

Abstract

Our longterm objective is to engineer durable resistance to Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (PGT). Our approach is to clone multiple resistance (R) genes from wild relatives of wheat conferring broad or universal resistance to worldwide PGT isolates and combine these in a multi-gene stack for deployment in wheat. To date, our source of resistance has been Sharon goatgrass (Aegilops sharonensis). This species was initially chosen for study because it is diploid and displayed exceptionally good resistance to the wheat stem rust isolate Ug99. However, the poor agronomy associated with an undomesticated species such as Ae. sharonensis has turned out to impose impractical costs and timelines on cloning R genes from this species. In the meantime we have developed an R gene cloning technology based on resistance gene enrichment sequencing (RenSeq) of EMS-derived mutant R gene alleles. We recently demonstrated the efficacy of EMS+RenSeq by “rediscovering” mutant alleles of Sr33. We anticipate that over the next 12 months, by combining RenSeq with longer read technologies, such as PacBio, we will be able to assemble near-complete full-length wheat NB-LRRomes, obviating the requirement for a BAC library in the cloning process. Wheat offers many advantages over undomesticated grasses, including a favourable agronomy and a potential rich source of R genes thanks to >80 years of wide crossing (alien introgression). With the germplasm available in house, this should allow the cloning of up to six resistance genes in three years from wheat and Ae. sharonensis. We anticipate that a pyramid combining some or all of these R genes will provide durable resistance to wheat stem rust.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Crop Science, Microbiology, Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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