Developing Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat

Project 1: (i) Characterize FHB resistance and mycotoxin accumulation in lipoxygenases silenced and overexpressing transgenic wheat lines; (ii) Target non-host resistance mechanism for enhancing FHB resistance; and (iii) Target expression of a Ca2+-binding protein-encoding gene associated with diterpenoid signaling for promoting FHB resistance in wheat. Project 2: (i) to confirm if knock-down of Lpx3 in other wheat varieties can similarly enhance FHB resistance, and (ii) simultaneously to identify Lpx3 variants that confer resistance to FHB in wheat varieties that can be utilized by breeding programs.