Inhalt: Get to know us
Agrologica
Anders Borgen screens breeding lines and varieties with the purpose to identify genetic markers using a set of virulence races. The focus in 2024-25 is Bt2 and Bt8. Until 2024, the research was partly funded by projects BOOST and DIVERSILIENCE. New funding to the GRAINGOOD project enables further research in 2025-2027.
Dennis Christensen continues to fine map genes identified in phenotyping from Anders or from other sources.
Bunt resistance breeding at Saatzucht Donau GmbH & CoKG (Probstdorf, Austria)
Saatzucht Donau uses genomic selection (GS) and marker assisted selection (MAS) to decrease the time interval between wheat generations and speed up the breeding process. Due to its organic wheat breeding program, Saatzucht Donau has been active in bunt resistance breeding for more than a decade now. ‘Tillexus’ and ‘Tillstop’ are examples for the successful use of MAS to introgress Bt10 from Weston into adapted breeding material. ‘Tillsano’ and ‘Axaro’ were identified as bunt resistant “by chance” in artificially inoculated (common) bunt trials. Subsequently, both were suggested to carry Bt5, based on race tests with Agrologica.
Our main interests regarding bunt resistance breeding include the implementation of MAS to efficiently develop high performing wheat cultivars with an improved and durable bunt resistance. Bunt resistant material of particular interest to SZD, including breeding lines developed at BOKU in recent years, has been directly integrated into the wheat breeding program of Saatzucht Donau and KASP markers, whenever available, have been used successfully for the pre-selection of bunt resistant material.
Currently, we are using GWAS and QTL mapping to map so far ‘unmapped’ Bt-genes, such as Bt5, and develop/improve KASP markers for specific Bt-genes. Using GWAS, we recently mapped Bt5 to chromosome 1B in a population of >200 lines carrying Axaro in their pedigree. An additional resistance locus was identified on chromosome 1D, which does not show up in Spontan and Tillsano, other “confirmed” carriers of Bt5. SNP markers linked to the Bt5 locus and polymorph in SZD breeding material will be turned into KASP markers and used for the large-scale analysis of breeding material. Although not diagnostic, these KASP markers will help us to enrich Bt5 carriers in the breeding material, which will be tested in yield and bunt resistance trials next year. A similar strategy will be used to develop/improve KASP marker for all other Bt-genes present in our breeding material. The interval for Bt5 overlaps with the most current interval identified by Dennis Christensen (Agrologica). The observation that most SNP markers identified by Agrologica linked to Bt5, however, were not polymorph in our material and underlines the importance of further pinning down Bt5 to an improved interval. To that end, we will use two bi-parental Bt5 populations of >180 lines each for classical QTL mapping, which show high marker contrast in the Bt5 interval, in 2024. This will hopefully leave us with an improved interval and SNP markers for Bt5.
Bt5 itself is not providing full resistance against the full spectrum of European bunt races, however, it will be an important resistance factor in combination with other Bt-genes.
In a small side project, 75 F4 lines of a Tilliko (BtZ) x Tillstop (Bt10) cross are tested at Agrologica with an avirulent race (Vr0). Finding any infected plants would mean that BtZ and Bt10 are –contrary to the current hypothesis – two different genes that can therefore segregate into susceptible offspring. Since BtZ and Bt10 – if different genes – are expected to be closely linked, segregation will be a rare event and the number of tested lines is rather small. Citing Dennis Christensen (Agrologica), finding a single susceptible line would be sufficient to gain further insight by genotyping this line. If necessary, the same experiment could be repeated with larger numbers and more homozygous plants next year.
For Saatzucht Donau, the most important goal is to develop high performing cultivars which on top display durable bunt resistance.
Crop Research Institute in Prague – Ruzyne, Czech Republic
This is a small introduction of Crop Research Institute in Prague – Ruzyne, Czech Republic:
The Institute conducts basic and applied research, ranging from traditional studies of genetics, plant breeding, plant nutrition, agroecology, plant health, and the safe storage of crops and agricultural produce, to the fast-developing fields of molecular biology, biotechnology, food and feed safety, and the use of biowastes and biomass for energy production. Moving to the forefront of CRI research are the issues of sustainable agriculture production and organic farming with the aim to maintain high soil fertility, support natural processes and biodiversity, reduce water pollution and overall minimise the negative impacts of agricultural production on the environment and human health.
The Institute coordinates two national programmes on the conservation of genetic resources, National Programme on Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources and Agro-biodiversity and National Programme on Protection of Genetic Resources of Economically Significant Microorganisms and Tiny Animals.
I am a part of the Genetics and Breeding Methods research team, focused on genetics of disease resistance of cereals, mostly wheat, barley and oat. In field trials, varietal reactions to rusts, fusarioses, common bunt and dwarf bunt, eyespot, leaf spot, powdery mildew and viroses are tested.
Researches for wheat resistance to common bunt at NARDI Fundulea, Romania
National Agricultural Research & Development Institute Fundulea, Romania is the largest Agricultural Research institution in Romania, was founded in 1957, has continued the Research of the Agronomic Research Institute of Romania, founded in 1927 and has been involved in wheat breeding from 1958.
The winter wheat cultivars obtained at NARDI Fundulea occupy now about 40% of total wheat area in Romania.
The arable land of NARDI is a part of a transition area between Vlasia and Southern Baragan Plain, along the Mostistea river. Its geographical coordinates are: 44°33' Northern latitude and 24°10' Eastern longitude. The relief is generally flat, having the average altitude of 68 m.
The effort of the team of researchers on wheat bunt resistance is generally focused on: (1) continuously checking the efficiency of known bunt resistance genes against local populations (isolates) of bunt; (2) improving the competitiveness of bunt resistant germplasm by repeated cycles of crossing with adapted cultivars and selection for both bunt resistance and agronomic type, plus to stack resistance genes and (3) searching for new bunt resistance genes (in special from synthetic amphiploids).
Currently, the main activities in this field follow: to identify molecular markers associated with resistance to bunt originated from F000628G34-1 line that carries a 1RS:1AL translocation; to stack resistance genes to ensure durable resistance to common bunt in wheat (like the effect of the rye translocation 1RS:1AL from Consecvent winter wheat cultivar (obtained by Otilia x F000628G34-1) cross with adapted breeding lines that carry different Bt resistance genes).
University of Idaho Wheat Breeding and Genetics Program/ University of Utah activities
Jianli Chen, Professor, Senior Wheat Breeder, jchen@uidaho.edu
Idaho wheat production contributes significantly to domestic and overseas wheat markets. Nationally, Idaho ranks in the top eight states for wheat production. Wheat is the second cash crop behind Potato in Idaho, comprised of approximately 60% winter wheat and 40% of spring wheat. About 85% of wheat is under irrigated production in southeastern Idaho, while majority of wheat production is under rainfed in Northern Idaho. Dwarf bunt is an endemic disease of dryland winter wheat production in the regions with high elevation and prolonged snow cover. Historically, dwarf bunt caused severe yield loss and quality reduction when epidemics occurred in some dryland farmland such as in southeast Idaho and North Utah. Breeders at University of Idaho (UI) and Utah State University (USU) have collaboratively worked on the disease for many decades and jointly released over 20 dwarf bunt resistant cultivars, some of which have been used in breeding programs worldwide. Dr. Jianli Chen, the senior wheat breeder at UI collaborating with the retired breeder Dr. David Hole has generated solid preliminary results on QTL mapping for dwarf bunt resistance and published three papers in the prestigious journal Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Currently, Dr. Chen led a USDA-NIFA grant identifying the candidate genes underlying the QTL previously identified, implementating of genomic selection for dwarf bunt resistance in collaboration with a newer breeder Dr. Margaret Krause at USU and another molecular physiologist Dr. Fangming Xiao at UI.
Candidate genes underlaying the QTL on the 7DS and 6DL are being identified using fine-mapping, exome capture and PACBio sequencing of common wheat, and PanGenome sequencing of Ae. Taschii. These research projects are in collaboration with Drs. Brande Wuff, Herman Buestermayr, Steven Xu, Anders Borgen, and Dennis Christensen. Molecular markers for 6DL and 7DS QTL are developed and will be shared with the consortium after papers are published this year. Dr. Chen’s program is also closely collaborating with Drs. Herman and Borgen evaluating genetic response of bunt differential lines to their local races of common bunt. In addition, Dr. Chen’s program established a protocol for screening common bunt in greenhouse and currently assess common bunt resistance in responses to three single races L-18, L-19, and T33. Dr. Chen’s program currently has two postdoc, two PhD students, one senior technician, and three seasonal help. Two post doc Drs. Amandeep Kaur and Guriqbal Dhillon, and one Ph.D student Pabitra Joshi are working on dwarf and common bunt projects. Ms. Joshi will graduate in December of 2024. Dr. Krause left for a new faculty position at Oregon State University. Dr. Krause’s MS student Mr. Will Krause will graduate in May of 2024. The USU is filling a new wheat breeder in the summer of 2024.