Wheat from a New Breeding Method: Agroscope Searches for Fungal Resistances in Field Trial
Bern, 05.11.2024 – In a field trial in Changins, Agroscope is testing a new method for breeding wheat varieties that are resistant to fungal diseases. These varieties could help to reduce the use of fungicides in agriculture and thus contribute to more sustainable crop production.
Wheat is one of the most important cereals worldwide and is also widely cultivated in Switzerland. However, wheat production is often threatened by fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, leaf rust, and Fusarium head blight. These diseases can lead to significant yield losses and require the use of fungicides to control them.
In order to reduce the reliance on fungicides, Agroscope is researching new methods for breeding wheat varieties that are resistant to fungal diseases. One of these methods is called “genome editing”. This method allows scientists to make precise changes to the DNA of plants, thereby introducing or modifying specific traits.
In the field trial in Changins, Agroscope is testing wheat varieties that have been edited using genome editing to make them resistant to powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease that can cause white powdery spots on the leaves of wheat plants, reducing their photosynthetic capacity and thus their yield.
The field trial will evaluate the performance of the edited wheat varieties under natural conditions. The researchers will assess the resistance of the plants to powdery mildew, as well as their yield and other agronomic traits.
If the field trial is successful, the edited wheat varieties could be used to develop new commercial wheat varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew. This would allow farmers to reduce the use of fungicides, which would benefit both the environment and human health.
In addition to powdery mildew, Agroscope is also researching genome editing to develop wheat varieties that are resistant to other fungal diseases, such as leaf rust and Fusarium head blight. These diseases are also major threats to wheat production worldwide, and the development of resistant varieties would be a significant step towards more sustainable crop production.
The field trial in Changins is part of a larger research project on genome editing in wheat that is being carried out by Agroscope in collaboration with other research institutions in Switzerland and abroad. The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
Wheat from a New Breeding Method: Agroscope Searches for Fungal Resistances in Field Trial
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