SEARCH FOR DURABLE WHEAT STEM SAWFLY (WSS) RESISTANCE GENES IN WHEAT, DURUM AND BARLEY FOR VARIETY IMPROVEMENT

To improve breeding efforts for developing WSS resistant high yielding small grains varieties, we need to increase the number and diversity of WSS resistance alleles to combat this pest. Our project will identify new sources of WSS resistance in hexaploid wheat, durum and barley, develop NILs to verify their efficacy in different genetic backgrounds and deploy the WSS resistance alleles to develop improved WSS resistant high yielding wheat varieties. This work will also provide information about the genetic architecture controlling WSS resistance in durum and barley, which could prove invaluable if WSS becomes more prolific in these crops as well.Overall hypothesis or goal: Identify new genetic resources for improving WSS resistant, high yielding hexaploid wheat, tetraploid durum and barley varieties.Specific objectives:Dissect the genetic architecture of host plant wheat stem sawfly (WSS) resistance in hexaploid wheat, durum and barley to identify new WSS resistance genes.Test near-isogenic lines (NILs) to validate the efficacy of WSS resistance genes, and examine different combinations of genes to identify the best combination for improving WSS resistance.Integrate new genes into breeding programs.Train two PhD students in plant breeding and entomology.