Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 430

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Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular–IABiMo–INTA-CONICET, Instituto de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Hurlingham 1686, Argentina
Interests: plant molecular biology; host-pathogen interaction; sunflower genetics and genomics; sunflower disease resistance; sunflower senescence
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Center for Informational Biology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Interests: plant molecular cell biology; plant chromosome; wheat genetics; wheat breeding; genomic evolution; chromosome engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Genetic approaches to enhancing disease resistance in crops represent a critical area of research in improving global food security. Plant diseases, caused by a wide variety of pathogens including fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes, continue to pose significant threats to crop yield and quality. Traditional breeding methods have been foundational in improving disease resistance in crops; however, they are increasingly being supplemented and enhanced through modern genetic tools and technologies.

Recent advances in molecular biology, high-throughput genotyping and phenotyping, functional genomics, and genome editing techniques, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have opened up new avenues for understanding and manipulating disease resistance at the genetic level. The identification and characterization of resistance genes, coupled with high-throughput genomic tools, can enable more precise and efficient breeding strategies. In addition, the exploration of plants’ wild relatives and the development of genetically diverse germplasms are essential in introducing novel resistance traits into cultivated crops.

This Special Issue will explore the latest advancements in genetic approaches to disease resistance, focusing on the application of cutting-edge tools such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), marker-assisted selection (MAS), and gene-editing technologies. It will also highlight the challenges and opportunities in translating these genetic advancements into practical breeding strategies that can be implemented in diverse agricultural systems to safeguard crop productivity in the face of increasing pathogen pressure. We invite authors to contribute their insights on the latest developments, challenges, and innovations in this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Ruth A. Heinz
Prof. Dr. Zujun Yang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • genetic approaches
  • GWAS
  • QTL mapping
  • disease resistance
  • crop breeding
  • molecular biology
  • genome editing
  • CRISPR-Cas9
  • resistance genes
  • marker-assisted selection

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 1719 KiB  
Article
Combining Linkage and Association Mapping Approaches to Study the Genetic Architecture of Verticillium Wilt Resistance in Sunflower
by Juan F. Montecchia, Mónica I. Fass, Matías Domínguez, Sergio A. González, Martín N. García, Carla V. Filippi, Emiliano Ben Guerrero, Carla Maringolo, Carolina Troglia, Facundo J. Quiroz, Julio H. González, Daniel Alvarez, Ruth A. Heinz, Verónica V. Lia and Norma B. Paniego
Plants 2025, 14(8), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14081187 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 374
Abstract
Sunflower Verticillium Wilt and Leaf Mottle (SVW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a globally prevalent disease affecting sunflower production. In this study, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 10 and other genomic regions associated with SVW resistance by [...] Read more.
Sunflower Verticillium Wilt and Leaf Mottle (SVW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a globally prevalent disease affecting sunflower production. In this study, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 10 and other genomic regions associated with SVW resistance by integrating biparental and association mapping in sunflower populations from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology. Nine replicated field trials were conducted in highly infested V. dahliae reservoirs to assess disease incidence and severity. Both mapping populations were genotyped using double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq). Association mapping with 18,161 SNPs and biparental QTL mapping with 1769 SNPs identified a major QTL on chromosome 10 explaining up to 30% of phenotypic variation for disease incidence at flowering and for the area under the disease progress curve for disease incidence, and which contributes to a lesser extent to disease severity reduction. Additional QTLs on chromosomes 17, 8, 9, 14, 13, and 11 were associated with reduced disease incidence, severity, or both. Candidate genes were identified within these associated regions, 39 of which are in the major QTL on Chromosome 10. These findings demonstrate the value of integrating complementary QTL mapping strategies for validating resistance loci and advancing sunflower breeding for SVW resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops)
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