Arable Global investment needed
to tackle major wheat losses • Crop losses worth £22bn per year
• Climate change is increasing threat
• Genetic ‘atlas’ could solve problem
U
rgent investment in new re- search is needed to help pre- vent huge yield losses from the
world’s wheat crops, say scientists. Global losses from wheat are worth some £22bn per year, according to sci- entists at the John Innes Centre, Nor- wich. They are calling for a major re- search project to reduce the impact of major wheat pathogens and improve global food security. The scientists say an international-
ly coordinated approach could deliver a new ‘R-gene Atlas’. This would help identify new genetic solutions confer- ring disease resistance for crops that could be bred into commercial wheat varieties.
One fifth of the world’s potential wheat yield is lost annually to pests and pathogens – equivalent to some 209m tonnes of grain. Climate change could further disrupt global food chains as new types of pests and diseases in- crease their spread. Researchers say the broader use of disease resistance – which can be found in the genome of wheat and its wild relatives – could help to mini- mise these losses and reduce reliance on agrochemicals.
The aim is to provide long-lasting molecular protection against major pathogens such as rusts, blotch dis- eases and powdery mildew.
Wheat R-genes work by recognis- ing corresponding molecules in the pathogen called effectors. By identi- fying the effectors present in patho- gen and pest populations, more dura- ble combinations or stacks of R-genes could be designed. The R-gene Atlas will be a free on- line portal containing this genetic in- formation and enabling breeders to design gene stacks using computer modelling before starting their breed- ing in the field.
Molecular markers Scientists say this will enable users to design molecular markers that could be used to find out what resistance genes they already have – either in their breeding programmes or other wheat populations. Recent years have seen research- ers at the John Innes Centre and The
Investment is vital, say researchers at the John Innes Centre.
14 MIDLAND FARMER • JULY 2021
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