Genetic modification could prevent fusarium in wheat

Rothamsted Research – New research may have discovered a way to prevent fusarium in wheat crops.

Scientists at Rothamsted Research, in partnership with the University of Bath and the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, used combined pathogen host modelling to map the cereal disease fusarium interaction for the first time, according to a newly released study. This modelling looks at the genes that are active during infection and traces them to proteins that drive infection.

This targeted approach identified the protein Knr4 as a critical driver of infection for fusarium head blight (FHB) and septoria tritici blotch (STB) – two of the most common diseases of wheat. Knr4 is involved in regulating growth rate and sensitivity to stress, while appearing to be necessary for full Fusarium virulence.

The removal of the protein saw a complete inability of FHB to spread, as well as a drop in virulence of septoria.

“This protein is only found in fungi, not in plants or animals,” said Erika Kroll, who led the study. “This means that if we target Knr4, we may be able to reduce the infectivity of pathogenic fungi without harming the wheat crop, ourselves, or other animals. This could be a game-changer for controlling these serious pathogens.”

The five highest global contributors to wheat yield and quality losses are all fungal diseases and include FHB and STB, which each account for around two to three per cent of wheat losses globally. As such, there is an urgent need for innovative control strategies.

Some of those strategies could be the development of chemical fungicides that disrupt the protein’s function or through the application of RNA interference techniques that would reduce fungal gene expression. Stricter regulation of fungicides is contributing to growing pathogen resistance as fewer chemicals can be used for control.

“There is a pressing need to identify new target sites for control. This research not only advances our understanding of mechanisms required for full fungal virulence but also offers promising directions for the development of effective strategies for disease control in agriculture,” Kroll said.