The work, in each case, was supported by the 2Blades Foundation. The organization has a remit to discover, advance and deliver genetic improvements in crop disease resistance.
The work is of importance due to the growing rise in the spread of plant pathogens. Plant pathogens cause global crop losses estimated at around 15 percent, extending, in some cases, to total crop failure.
Pathogens can be battled through the use of agrochemicals and with developing resistant crop varieties. However, many types of pathogens can adapt and resists these measures. One way forwards, is through genetics in order to create durable genetic resistances. This is the basis of the newly reported successes.
According to Nature Biotechnology, success has been achieved with wheat stem rust, Asian soybean rust, and potato late blight. In serious cases, these pathogens can cause yield losses in excess of 80 percent.
With wheat rust, the use of an innovative gene identification system called MutRenSeq (Mutational Resistance Gene Enrichment Sequencing) led to the isolation of two resistance genes, Sr22 and Sr45. Transferring these genes into other wheat varieties appears to confer resistance to the fungus.
With Asian soybean rust the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil) isolated a gene teremed CcRpp1, from pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). When this gene was transferred into soybean high-levels of resistance to the pathogen occurred. This led to a reduction in chemical treatments.
Late blight of potato is a continual threat for most commercial potato varieties. The Sainsbury Laboratory isolated a new late blight resistance gene, Rpi-amr3 from American black nightshade (Solanum americanum). Gene transfer studies again showed resistance could be passed on to potato plants.
Commenting on these successes, Roger Freedman, head of 2Blades, stated: “2Blades has favored a simple strategy for fighting plant disease…what we have done is to restore the ability of the plant to ‘see’ the pathogen. Once that’s done the plant itself does the rest. That’s the way all three of these resistances work.”
In related news, Rothamsted Research is set to carry out a genetically modified crop field trial. This will consider whether modified Camelina sativa plants are able to make significant quantities of omega-3 fatty acids in the seed of the plant under field conditions.
