Highly effective mlo-based powdery mildew resistance in hexaploid wheat without pleiotropic effects.

Application of the mlo-based resistance in barley against powdery mildew attacks is a major success in crop breeding, since it confers durable disease resistance. Resistance caused by mutations in the Mlo gene seems to be ubiquitous across a range of species. This work addresses the introduction of mlo-based resistance into hexaploid wheat, which is complicated by the occurrence of three homoeologous genes: Mlo-A1, Mlo-B1 and Mlo-D1.

Integration of the barley genetic and seed proteome maps for chromosome 1H, 2H, 3H, 5H and 7H.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to screen spring barley cultivars for differences in seed protein profiles. In parallel, 72 microsatellite (simple sequence repeat (SSR)) markers and 11 malting quality parameters were analysed for each cultivar. Over 60 protein spots displayed cultivar variation, including peroxidases, serpins and proteins with unknown functions.

Functional markers in wheat.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important staple crops world-wide. Gene-derived 'functional' markers (FMs, also called perfect or diagnostic markers elsewhere) would be the ideal tools for marker-assisted breeding of wheat but, at present, their utility is restricted by the limited availability of genes that control agronomic characters.