Pathogenic variability in the stem rust fungus is being studied and developed by induced mutation and recombination for use in searching for new genetic mechanisms of resistance to stem rust.
Research also involves mapping of the wheat genome and cloning of agronomically important genes.
This project also seeks to improve techniques for making successful wide crosses with wheat, and to facilitate a better understanding of genome relationships, gene introgression, and fertility restoration in wide crosses. Research in this project is part of National Program 301 - Plant, Microbial, and Insect Genetic Resources, Genomics, and Genetic Improvement. The genetics of resistance is being evaluated, and elite germplasm expressing genes that may provide protection from Fusarium species and other fungi is being developed. Factors that contribute to virus survival and pathogenicity, such as seed transmission, viral movement, virulence, and host specificity are being examined as part of investigations of the relationships between viral genome structure, gene expression, and phenotype. The nature of host resistance to virus infection is also being investigated.