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Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance
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Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 9294

Editor

Dr. Yinghui Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: wheat breeding; disease resistance; gene cloning; resistance mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important crops, providing energy and high-quality plant protein for a population of more than 1.6 billion people worldwide. Moreover, it accounts for over 25% of the global cereal production. In wheat, global yield loss estimates due to pests and pathogens range from 10.1 to 28.1%. The most cost-efficient method to manage disease in fields is through the deployment of disease-resistant (R) genes. The identification of different classes of R genes/QTLs or pathways will not only benefit us in improving crop disease resistance but will also serve as a foundational insight into diverse resistance mechanisms.

Plants developed multifaceted innate immunity systems during their long co-evolution alongside their pathogens. Furthermore, plants have evolved diverse R genes that can restrict different pathogens. The main plant R genes include (i) cell-surface receptors that activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) upon detecting certain microbe or damage-associated molecular patterns (M/DAMPs); (ii) intracellular immune receptors that recognize pathogen effectors and activate effector-triggered immunity (ETI); (iii) noncanonical and/or quantitative R genes that regulate various molecular pathways.

After identification, several downstream signaling events can be elicited in plants, such as the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of various resistance signaling cascades, and interaction with plant hormones (e.g., salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, auxin, etc.). Controlling and regulating these downstream resistance signaling events could be an effective strategy to improve crop resistance. In this exciting context, Plants is launching a Special Issue devoted to ‘Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance’. Both original research and review articles are welcome. Potential topics include the following:

(i) Identification of Pm genes/QRLs/R-proteins that confer disease resistance.

(ii) The molecular mechanisms and related pathways involved in plant immunity to pathogens.

(iii) Allelic diversity, population genetics, and co-evolution of host resistance and pathogen virulence.

(iv) Resistance breeding and/or pyramiding R-genes for improving wheat resistance.

(v) New strategies and perspectives for disease control.

Dr. Yinghui Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wheat
  • pathogens
  • resistance gene
  • plant immunity
  • wheat breeding
  • resistance mechanism

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

44 pages, 491 KB  
Article
Reaction of Wheat to European Virulence Races of Common Bunt (Tilletia spp.) and Mapping Race-Specific Resistance Genes Using SNP Markers
by Anders Borgen and Dennis Kjær Christensen
Plants 2026, 15(8), 1264; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15081264 - 20 Apr 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1378
Abstract
Common bunt of wheat (Tilletia spp.) remains a significant threat to wheat production in low-input and organic farming systems, where chemical seed treatments are restricted or avoided. Host resistance represents a key component of sustainable disease control, but its effective deployment requires [...] Read more.
Common bunt of wheat (Tilletia spp.) remains a significant threat to wheat production in low-input and organic farming systems, where chemical seed treatments are restricted or avoided. Host resistance represents a key component of sustainable disease control, but its effective deployment requires detailed knowledge of race-specific virulence and the genetic basis of resistance. In this study, we analysed the reaction of a large and diverse wheat germplasm collection to current European populations of common bunt and mapped the underlying resistance genes using SNP-based approaches. A total of 2731 wheat accessions were phenotyped from 2012 to 2025 using up to 42 purified bunt races with well-defined virulence profiles. Based on phenotypic responses to race-specific resistance patterns, accessions were grouped and compared with established differential lines. A total of 1504 selected accessions were genotyped using Illumina 26k SNP arrays, and resistance loci were identified by genome-wide association studies followed by fine mapping using recombination analysis. All classical Bt resistance genes from Bt1 to Bt10 and Bt13 and BtZ were mapped to defined physical intervals, and the genomic positions of 18 additional race-specific resistance genes were identified in a panel of germplasm. Our results confirm that several historically defined Bt genes, including Bt11 and Bt12, represent multi-gene resistance complexes rather than single loci. Also, genes established as separate genes may possibly be identical, including Bt4 being identical to Bt6, Bt10 being identical to BtZ, and Bt9 possibly being identical to one of the genes in the Bt11 complex. These findings highlight the need for a revised nomenclature of genes and a differential set of varieties. The identified resistance haplotypes provide an improved tool for marker-assisted selection and support the development of wheat cultivars with durable resistance to common bunt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance)
16 pages, 3327 KB  
Article
Characterization of a New Powdery Mildew Resistance Gene on Chromosome 1R from Hexaploid Triticale Transferred to Wheat
by Yujie Luo, Chengzhi Jiang, Li Li, Tingting Jiang, Jessy Yee Ting Tan, Aly Boro, Ennian Yang, Guangrong Li and Zujun Yang
Plants 2026, 15(3), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15030410 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1454
Abstract
Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, is a highly destructive disease affecting wheat in most growing regions worldwide. The most effective strategy for combating this disease is through the exploitation of novel and durable resistance genes derived from the [...] Read more.
Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, is a highly destructive disease affecting wheat in most growing regions worldwide. The most effective strategy for combating this disease is through the exploitation of novel and durable resistance genes derived from the relatives of wheat. Rye (Secale cereale L.) has been extensively hybridized with both tetraploid and hexaploid wheats and represents a valuable genetic resource for enhancing resistance and tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, two novel 1R (1D) substitution lines, R156 and R189, derived from hexaploid triticale lines Yukuri and T4915, respectively, were comprehensively characterized using non-denaturing fluorescence in situ hybridization (ND-FISH) and immunofluorescence. To physically map the 1R-derived powdery mildew resistance gene from Yukuri, 3485 M1-M3 plants from the cross between R156 and susceptible wheat cultivar MY11 were studied by ND-FISH using multiple probes. A cytological bin map for Yukuri chromosome 1R was constructed using 105 molecular markers. Resistance evaluation combined with molecular mapping revealed that the novel resistance locus resides in bin 1RS-4, corresponding to the 58.60–109.28 Mb genome region of Lo7 rye chromosome 1R. Thus, these newly developed wheat–rye 1R translocation and deletion lines are expected to serve as valuable genetic resources for breeding powdery mildew resistant wheat cultivars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance)
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15 pages, 3427 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Characterization of the Von Willebrand Factor a Gene Family in Wheat: Highlights Their Functional Roles in Growth and Biotic Stress Response
by Luna Tao, Zheng Yang, Kai Han, Chao Ma, Yueming Ren, Ranran Jia, Huanhuan Li, Qianwen Liu, Yue Zhao and Wenxuan Liu
Plants 2025, 14(19), 2965; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14192965 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1579
Abstract
Von Willebrand factor A (vWA) genes play important roles in regulating plant growth and development, as well as biotic stresses. However, limited data are available on the contributions of vWA genes to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, 114 TavWA genes [...] Read more.
Von Willebrand factor A (vWA) genes play important roles in regulating plant growth and development, as well as biotic stresses. However, limited data are available on the contributions of vWA genes to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, 114 TavWA genes were identified in the wheat genome, which were unevenly distributed on 21 chromosomes. According to the phylogenetic analysis, the 114 TavWAs were classified into six groups, two of which (G3 and G6) were unique to wheat. Fifty-five homoeologous gene sets among A, B, and D sub-genomes were detected, which play a crucial role in the expansion of the wheat vWA gene family. Analysis of specific spatiotemporal expression patterns showed that more than 50% of TavWAs (61 out of 114) exhibited tissue-specific expression. These included 71 TavWAs that responded to one or more of the four biotic stress treatments (flg22, chitin, powdery mildew, and stripe rust). Notably, these included TavWA1-7D, a recently reported key growth regulator in wheat, suggesting its additional role in biotic stress responses. RT-qPCR analysis indicated that eight genes (TavWA1-7D, TavWA24-2B, TavWA36-1D, TavWA37-7D, TavWA40, TavWA47, TavWA51, and TavWA53) may play important roles in wheat’s powdery mildew resistance. Collectively, the results of this study provide significant insights for future research on the involvement of vWA genes in the development and stress responses of wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance)
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11 pages, 2555 KB  
Article
Differential Gene Expression in Fusarium Head Blight Pathogens Facilitates Root Infection of Wheat, Maize, and Soybean
by Rukun Li, Huahao Sun, Huilin He, Xinyao Cheng, Mei Deng, Qiantao Jiang, Qiang Xu, Yuming Wei and Yazhou Zhang
Plants 2025, 14(16), 2458; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14162458 - 8 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1822
Abstract
Global food security relies on wheat, maize, and soybean, yet their cultivation faces escalating threats from Fusarium head blight (FHB) pathogens. We demonstrate that agricultural intensification enables cross-kingdom root infections by Fusarium graminearum and F. asiaticum across these crops. Screening of 180 Fusarium [...] Read more.
Global food security relies on wheat, maize, and soybean, yet their cultivation faces escalating threats from Fusarium head blight (FHB) pathogens. We demonstrate that agricultural intensification enables cross-kingdom root infections by Fusarium graminearum and F. asiaticum across these crops. Screening of 180 Fusarium strains revealed tripartite host infectivity, with transcriptomics uncovering host-adapted virulence strategies. Transcriptome analysis identified distinct gene expression patterns during the infection of each crop, with F. graminearum employing host-specific genes, such as FgPPDT1 (a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent transferase), for maize root infection. The FgPPDT1 knockout mutant (Δfgppdt1) exhibited severely impaired root colonization. Our findings establish differential gene expression as a regulatory axis for cross-host adaptation, directly linking FHB transmission risks to wheat–maize intercropping and wheat-soybean rotations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance)
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14 pages, 3669 KB  
Article
Wheat-Psathyrostachys huashanica 4Ns Additional Line Confers Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight
by Yinghui Li, Hang Peng, Hao Zhang, Liangxi Li, Muhammad Saqlain, Dandan Wu, Wei Zhu, Lili Xu, Yiran Cheng, Yi Wang, Jian Zeng, Lina Sha, Haiqin Zhang, Xing Fan, Yonghong Zhou and Houyang Kang
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071104 - 2 Apr 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1912
Abstract
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the major wheat diseases caused by Fusarium species (mainly Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium asiaticum), resulting in significant global wheat yield losses and risks to food security. Breeding wheat varieties with resistance genes is the most [...] Read more.
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the major wheat diseases caused by Fusarium species (mainly Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium asiaticum), resulting in significant global wheat yield losses and risks to food security. Breeding wheat varieties with resistance genes is the most environmentally friendly and economical strategy for controlling FHB. Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng ex P. C. Kuo (2n = 2x = 14, NsNs), which showed abiotic tolerance and biotic resistance, has significant research value and potential as an important genetic resource for wheat improvement. In previous studies, we crossed Psathyrostachys huashanica with common wheat and developed wheat lines containing different NS chromosomes. In this study, we identified a 4NS additional line, DA26, from the progenies of wheat-P. huashanica-derived lines using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses. Line DA26 showed high resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) in the greenhouse and field conditions. However, the parental common wheat lines Chinese Spring (CS) and CSph2b mutant showed high susceptibility to FHB. A field evaluation of the agronomic traits showed that the plant height of DA26 was significantly lower than CS, while there were no significant differences in the other agronomic traits. In addition, we also developed eight 4Ns-specific primers to identify the 4Ns chromosome, which can facilitate wheat breeding and FHB resistance gene mapping in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wheat Breeding for Disease Resistance)
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