One of the greatest impediments to increased yield comes from losses due
to pests and disease. Consequently our functional genomic and proteomic approaches
are focused on characterizing pathways leading to resistance to Hessian fly,
Stagonospora nodorum leaf and glume blotch, Septoria tritici leaf blotch,
Fusarium head blight (scab), and barley yellow dwarf virus. These are among
the most significant pests of wheat in the USA and worldwide. The information
obtained from this research will answer fundamental questions about plant
defense responses and will provide information leading to the development
of disease-resistant cultivars and germplasm. This knowledge and concomitant
germplasm development is critical to achieving the major increase required
in future cereal crop production.
For more information about wheat production in Indiana see:
http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/ggpages/awn/45/
Textfiles/USIN.html