SASKATOON, 2025-06-19 12:00:00
Wheat’s Dynamic Defense Duo
Researchers have discovered a unique pair of genes in wild wheat that work together to combat diseases, offering a new avenue for crop protection.
- Wild wheat varieties possess a unique pair of genes for disease resistance.
- These genes work together to protect against stripe rust, a common fungal infection.
- The discovery could lead to stronger, more resilient wheat varieties.
At the University of Saskatchewan (USask), scientists are on the hunt for ways to protect crops from relentless pathogens. Dr. Valentyna Klymiuk and Dr. Curtis Pozniak have stumbled upon something extraordinary: a pair of genes in wild wheat that team up to fight off diseases. This discovery could be a game-changer, helping to develop wheat varieties better equipped to withstand environmental threats.
USask’s Crop Development Centre (CDC) is dedicated to improving crop varieties by exploring the genetic makeup of wheat and its wild relatives. Wild wheat, while not directly used in breeding, provides valuable genetic diversity for combating environmental challenges. This research is vital for developing new methods of crop resistance.
Unveiling Unusual Resistance
The research team focused on a wild strain of wheat that showed remarkable resistance to stripe rust, a fungal infection that’s a major concern for farmers. Their findings are detailed in Nature Genetics.
“Once we started assessing the resistance, we could see that it was different to others that we have studied before. The resistance was acting in an atypical way, which signalled a very different plant response,” said Pozniak, professor and director of the CDC at USask. “We were quite intrigued about what was really going on.”
Usually, a single gene is responsible for stripe rust resistance. However, Klymiuk and Pozniak discovered that, in this case, two genes working together are needed for full protection. One gene detects the invading pathogen, while the other activates the plant’s immune response.
Unexpected Interactions
To confirm their findings, Klymiuk experimented by switching off each gene. When a gene was deactivated, the plant lost its protection. Initially, the results were confusing, which led the team to rethink their approach.
“Initially, we thought only a single gene was responsible. Most of our results made sense but there were a few plants that didn’t give us the expected results. This was a head scratcher, so we went back to rethink our experiments and to test if two genes were actually involved. Once we retested, the results became clear,” said Klymiuk.
The team found that these genes interact at a protein level, coming together to trigger the resistance response.
“A lot of the time when things don’t line up the temptation is to move forward, but we really dug into the weeds to figure out what was going on and that’s when we realized that the genes were communicating and working together and that’s what’s really new,” said Pozniak. “If we had given up after the first set of experiments, we never would have concluded that two genes coming together was needed for resistance. It’s a great science story.”
Future Implications
The discovery of these interacting genes is critical for crop disease control. Klymiuk developed a DNA test to ensure the genes are present in new wheat plants, allowing them to be used in breeding programs.
These advancements offer the CDC powerful tools to create stronger wheat varieties. As Pozniak noted, “The interconnectivity of research and breeding lets us keep the eye on the prize and develop the most productive varieties for farmers. This project also really helps us understand and appreciate the complexity of plant biology. Plants really need to adapt, and they do it in cool and interesting ways.”
