Project Number: 5430-21000-006-11
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: May 01, 2007
End Date: Apr 30, 2012

Objective:
Develop mapping population and isolate near-isogenic lines for pre-harvest sprouting resistance QTLs on 3A chromosome in wheat by marker-assisted selection. Isolate near-isogenic lines for wheat QTL resistance to Al toxicity in Chinese landrace FSW. Assess heat tolerance in six winter wheat cultivars from Kansas and southern Europe and compare their heat tolerance to heat tolerance of cultivars `Ventnor¿, and `Karl 92¿. Investigate heat stability of leaf proteins in wheat genotypes with contrasting tolerance to heat stress. Develop new sources of resistance for wheat stem rust.

Approach:
Abiotic stresses of wheat, including drought and heat stress, are major detriments to the yield and quality of wheat grown in the Southern Great Plains of the USA. Conventional and molecular techniques will be utilized to evaluate expression of genes involved in response to heat stress in wheat germplasm. Improved methods for enhancing resistance and/or tolerance to stress will be developed and genes for resistance and/or tolerance to abiotic stress in wheat will be identified to develop lines with increased stress tolerance.