STTR Phase I: New dwarfing genes to improve yield and abiotic stress tolerance in wheat

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过引入新鉴定的矮化基因来提高小麦产量。 目前使用的矮化基因，这是有助于带来“绿色革命”，至少是部分负责这一瓶颈。这些矮化基因存在于全世界种植的90%以上的小麦品种中，使大多数小麦作物容易因非生物（非生命）胁迫而损失。该研究项目将使用NSF资助的学术研究的产品来表征小麦的新型矮化基因，并在地球仪范围内将选定的矮化基因商业化。拟议研究项目的成果和产品有望缓解目前使用的矮化基因造成的瓶颈，并有可能显着提高小麦产量，特别是在非生物胁迫条件下。该研究项目在创造具有全球吸引力的可行商业产品的同时，也将为气候变化中的粮食安全做出积极贡献。该STTR第一阶段项目提出进一步开发和测试替代矮化基因，以提高地球仪各地的小麦产量和非生物胁迫耐受性。小麦中的半矮秆突变体rht 1和rht 2被认为是基因革命的罪魁祸首，并且存在于全世界90%以上的小麦品种中。它们的高度降低是由于植物激素赤霉素（GA）的产生或感知减少，赤霉素在非生物胁迫耐受性中起关键作用。在影响超过85%的美国和50%的世界小麦种植区的非生物胁迫下，这些GA-矮秆表现出对各种农艺性状的不利影响，包括非生物胁迫耐受性。该项目将表征新鉴定的22个“GA正常”矮秆基因的农艺优势，特别是在高温、干旱和盐胁迫下，目的是为各种小麦生长条件鉴定理想的矮秆基因系统。选择的矮秆基因也将被定位相对于DNA标记的知识产权保护，并通过标记辅助选择转移到小麦品种。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is the improvement of wheat yields by introducing newly identified dwarfing genes. The currently used dwarfing genes, which were instrumental in bringing about the "green revolution", are at least partly responsible for this bottleneck. These dwarfing genes, present in more than 90% of the wheat varieties grown worldwide, render most of the wheat crop prone to losses due to abiotic (non-living) stresses. This research project will use the products from an NSF-funded academic research to characterize new types of dwarfing genes for wheat, and commercialize selected dwarfing genes around the globe. Outcomes and products from the proposed research project are poised to alleviate the bottleneck created by the currently used dwarfing genes, and have the potential to significantly increase wheat yields, especially under abiotic stress conditions. The research project, while creating a viable commercial product with global appeal, also will contribute positively towards food security in this changing climate.This STTR Phase I project proposes to further develop and test alternative dwarfing genes to improve wheat yield and abiotic stress tolerance around the globe. Semi-dwarf mutants rht1 and rht2 in wheat are credited for the gene revolution, and are present in more than 90% of the wheat varieties grown worldwide. Their height reduction is due to a reduced production or perception of a plant hormone, gibberellins (GA), which plays a critical role in abiotic stress tolerance. Under abiotic stresses that affect more than 85% of the US and 50% of the world's wheat growing areas, these GA-dwarfs exhibit adverse effects on various agronomic traits including abiotic stress tolerance. The project will characterize newly identified 22 "GA-normal" dwarfing genes for their agronomic advantage over the currently used genes, especially under heat, drought, and salinity stresses with the objective to identify ideal dwarfing gene systems for various wheat growing conditions. The selected dwarfing genes also will be mapped relative to DNA markers for intellectual property protection, and for their transfer to wheat cultivars via marker assisted selection.