CONTROL OF WHEAT PATHOGENS

The Control of Wheat Pathogens EWG aims to bring together experts from the field of wheat research with an interest in minimising yield loss caused by microbial pathogens through open collaboration. The Control of Wheat Pathogens EWG will approach this through an integrated disease management strategy by focussing on the goals below:

1.     Isolate collection

  • Improve access to pathogen isolates and sequence data including pan-genomes.

2.     Disease diagnosis and monitoring

  • Development of universal disease monitoring, diagnostic sampling and detection strategies.

  • Development of a knowledge platform to best advise breeders, agronomists and growers.

3.     Disease control

  • Identification and access to genetic resources to improve biotic disease resistance in wheat.

  • Identification of biocontrol agents for wheat diseases and investigation of the role of the microbiome in the suppression of disease development.

Provision of access of germplasm carrying defined resistance.

(c) Kar-Chun Tan

Proposal

Late 2021 the Wheat Initiative Expert Working Group on Pests and Pathogens held a survey and asked the EWG members two questions:  

  • Should the group be split into two separate EWG, one on pathogens and one on pests of wheat.

  • If the split is made, should the Pest EWG also include diseases (primarily viruses) spread by pest.

The response was clear, 83% support the split and 73% wanted the Pest EWG to cover the viruses.
As a result of this survey, two new EWGs have been established.

Leadership

Chair: Kar-Chun (KC) Tan
Co-Chairs: Caixia Lan and Reem Aboukhadour

Call for experts

The call for experts will remain open during the EWG lifetime. Any expert wishing to participate in the Control of Wheat Pathogens EWG should complete the application form and send it via email to wheat(dot)initiative(at)julius-kuehn(dot)de.

Meetings/Events

  • September 21st 2024 (all day) Wheat Pathogens satellite meeting at IWC in Perth Curtin University, Western Australia

    • Presentation Prizes

      The EWG oral presentation prizes for early career researchers (ECRs) at the symposium.

      The winner of the first Prize was David Gilbert and his presetnation on Investigating the disease resistance available within Aegilops tauschii against a diverse array of wheat pathogens

      Runner-up was Ancy Tony and her presentation Dissecting the Australian Wheat Powdery Mildew (WPM) Pathotypes

Webinars 2024

“Tackling wheat leaf rust through pathogen and host genomics” by GUUS BAKKEREN

“Wheat disease monitoring and diagnostics in Alberta, Canada” by MICHAEK HARDING

“Genetic and functional analysis of complex host – pathogen interactions in the wheat - powdery mildew pathosystem” by Beat Keller

“Developing cisgenic resistance gene stacks in wheat for improved resistance to wheat stem rust disease” by DR MING LUO

“The contribution of the wheat leaf rust resistance genes Lr34 and Lr67 to multi-pest resistance.” by BRENT McCALLUM

"Tracing a cereal killer: Genomics-assisted surveillance and genome evolution of the blast fungus.” by THORSTEN LANGNER

Webinars 2023

“Wheat Blast: a potentially catastrophic disease threatening global food security” by Tofazzal Islam

“Trends in Fusarium Tnd Ergot in CanadiRn Wheat from 1995” by Sean Walkowiak

“Wheat Resistance Genes: From NLR to WTK“ by Dr. Zhiyong Liu

'“Harnessing genetic diversity in wheat and its wild relatives for disease resistance” by Brande Wulff

“Global Burden of Crop Loss initiative – in pursuit to support data –driven decision making” by Anna Szyniszewska

“Unlocking the resistance to common bunt” by Anders Borgen

Past Events

  • Webinar: “Wheat Phyllosphere Yeasts: Diversity And Potential For Improving Plant Resilience To (A)biotic stresses” by Dr. Viviane Cordovez

  • Inaugural Workshop of the Wheat Initiative Expert Working Group Control of Wheat Pathogens, 20th of August as a Satellite meeting to the IPPC

  • August Webinar: Fifty years of Fungicides Development, Deployment and Future Use by Dr Janna Beckerman