Chinese scientists are harnessing the power of gene editing to combat stripe rust, an airborne fungal disease often likened to 'cancer' for wheat crops.
Led by Professor Wang Xiaojie from Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, the research team embarked on an 18-year journey to identify the gene responsible for wheat’s susceptibility to stripe rust. Their groundbreaking discovery of the TaPsIPK1 gene, detailed in the journal Cell in 2022, marked a significant milestone.
In a recent field experiment, wheat cultivars with the edited TaPsIPK1 gene demonstrated enhanced resistance to stripe rust, shifting from high susceptibility to medium or high resistance, all without compromising yield. Importantly, these cultivars maintained the desirable agronomic traits of the original varieties, showcasing the practical potential of this innovation.
Looking ahead, the team plans to extend their gene editing techniques to provide wheat with synchronous resistance to stripe rust, powdery mildew, and gibberellic disease. Professor Wang emphasized that this advancement is a crucial step toward sustainable, high-quality agricultural development and ensuring global food security.
Reference(s):
Chinese researchers use gene editing to combat wheat 'cancer'
cgtn.com
