Inducing novel broad spectrum disease resistance in wheat

本项目将采用一种新型的高通量筛选方法，结合传统育种方法，开发出对真菌病原体具有广谱耐受性和抗性的小麦新品种，并通过一种新机制同时诱导和选择出提高营养利用效率的小麦新品种。英国农业在小麦杀菌剂上花费了大约3000万英镑，喷洒面积超过200万公顷。这有助于保持比有机种植小麦更高的产量，但要付出巨大的财政和环境代价。现在，91/414/EEC修订的实施意味着大部分对小麦病害有效的杀菌剂（Cyproconazole、Fenbuconazole、Bitertanol、Carbendazim、Dinocap、Epoxiconazole、Fenbuconazole、Flusilazole、Iprodione、Mancozeb、Maneb、Metconazole、Quinoxyfen、Tebuconazole）可能会被撤回，从而增加了主要作物欠收的风险。这对粮食安全和农民收入产生了严重影响。该项目的目的是结合(1)基础植物生物学，(2)高通量质谱法和(3)现代植物育种技术的最新进展，以一种创新的方式生产对农药和化学投入依赖较少的小麦新品种，以获得最佳产量。这些品种的选择将具有增强的、持久的、广谱的抗病能力或耐受性，使它们同样适合用于传统和有机农业系统。候选新品种的田间试验将用于选择最佳品种进行商业开发。该项目将使用小麦，但一旦实施，该技术可以应用于许多其他作物。

This project will apply a novel high throughput screening methodology, combined with conventional breeding, to develop new wheat varieties in which broad spectrum tolerance and resistance to fungal pathogens and enhanced nutrient-use efficiency are simultaneously induced and selected via a novel mechanism. The UK farming industry spends about 30m on wheat fungicides, spraying an area of over 2 million hectares. This helps to maintain higher yields than for organically-grown wheat, but with significant financial and environmental costs. Now, implementation of the revision of 91/414/EEC means most of the effective fungicides (Cyproconazole, Fenbuconazole, Bitertanol, Carbendazim, Dinocap, Epoxiconazole, Fenbuconazole, Flusilazole, Iprodione, Mancozeb, Maneb, Metconazole, Quinoxyfen, Tebuconazole) against diseases of wheat are likely to be withdrawn, so that the risks of major crop failure are increased. This has serious implications for food security and farmer's incomes. The aim of this project is to combine recent advances in (1) fundamental plant biology, (2) high-throughput mass-spectrometry and (3) modern plant breeding techniques, in an innovative way to produce new varieties of wheat less dependant on pesticides and chemical inputs for optimal yields. The varieties will be selected with enhanced, and durable, broad spectrum resistance or tolerance to disease making them equally suited for use in conventional and organic farming systems. Field trials of candidate new varieties will be used to select the best variety for commercial development. Wheat will be used in this programme but, once implemented, the technology can be applied to many other crops.