Genetic Insight Into the Insect Resistance in Bread Wheat Exploiting the Untapped Natural Diversity.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Genetics
• Entomology

Background:

• Climate change, specifically rising temperatures, exacerbates wheat yield losses by increasing insect pest generations.
• Key European wheat pests include orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM), yellow wheat blossom midge (YWBM), saddle gall midge (SGM), thrips, and frit fly (FF).
• Developing insect-resistant wheat cultivars is crucial for sustainable future production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and map genetic loci associated with resistance to multiple wheat insect pests.
• To discover candidate genes conferring resistance to YWBM, SGM, thrips, and FF in wheat.
• To provide germplasm and genetic information for breeding pest-resilient wheat varieties.

Main Methods:

• Association mapping was employed using two diverse wheat panels (winter wheat and spring wheat).
• Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were analyzed to detect significant associations with pest resistance.
• BLAST analysis was used to identify candidate genes based on associated SNP sequences.

Main Results:

• A total of 645 significant associations were found in winter wheat and 123 in spring wheat.
• These associations were localized to 246 quantitative trait loci (QTLs).
• Candidate genes identified are involved in plant physical structures (e.g., stomatal immunity, cuticular wax) and stress response enzymes.

Conclusions:

• This research presents the first detailed investigation into the genetics of resistance for YWBM, SGM, thrips, and FF using natural variation in wheat.
• The identified genetic resources and resistant genotypes are available to breeders globally.
• This work facilitates informed breeding decisions for enhanced pest resilience in wheat cultivars.