Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
Stripe ruse became an important wheat disease worldwide due to the emergence of new virulent races that can cause infection at higher temperature than before, and have wide virulence spectrum to defeat many of the known resistance genes. Canadian farmers rely heavily on fungicides to control stripe rust, however, it's an expensive approach and also comes with environmental and health risks.
This project aims to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify virulence and resistance associated markers from the Canadian stripe rust fungus and wheat genomes.
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
Anticipated benefits of this research include the ability to predict local pathogens, predict pathogen incursion and track infection, as well as breed for resistance.
How will these research findings reach producers on-farm?
Knowledge gathered through this research will be shared with producers, scientific communities, industry involved in advising producers regarding stripe rust management, and end users of Canadian wheat.