Exploration of NIABs synthetic wheats as a new source of disease resistance for effective genetic control of Septoria tritici blotch disease

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Septoria tritici blotch (Septoria) disease presents itself as chlorotic and necrotic tissue on wheat leaves and this dramatically reduces the crop's capacity for photosynthesis thus reducing yield. It is the most economically significant fungal disease of wheat in the UK/northern Europe with over £750 million spent on protective fungicides annually or 75% of all fungicide use. This illustrates the damage Septoria can do, with the capacity of reducing yields up to 50% in susceptible crops and causing 5-10% losses even with fungicides. UK growers are heavily reliant on fungicides as most current wheat cultivars show only moderate resistance to Septoria. These protections are at risk from new legislation and the capacity of Zymoseptoria tritici that causes this disease to evolve resistance to fungicides due to the genetic optimisation through sexual reproduction. Resistant strains have already developed for every fungicide class used which reduces their effectiveness.