Australia
December 4, 2008
 Canberra
based CSIRO Plant Industry
scientist, Dr Peter Dodds, has been named by the leading science
journal Nature as one of five crop researchers who could change
the world.
Dr Dodds is part of a team at CSIRO Plant Industry that
researches a plant disease called rust – one of the most
significant and devastating crop diseases in the world.
His ground breaking research has led to the discovery of the
rust ‘avirulence gene’ and could result in the development of
new wheat varieties with improved and longer lasting rust
resistance.
“Every day most Australians rely on the research of scientists
like Dr Dodds because we eat wheat products like bread and
pasta,” says Dr Jeremy Burdon, Chief of CSIRO Plant Industry.
“Wheat grown in Australia that gives us these products has had
rust resistance bred into it. Without this resistance we would
produce less wheat, and wheat products might be more expensive.
“But rusts are adaptable and evolve to overcome resistance, so
it’s an ongoing battle to keep developing new wheat varieties
that are resistant.”
The avirulence gene identified by Dr Dodds is the white flag
that surrenders rust to the plant’s defences. Researching the
avirulence gene is helping Dr Dodds identify and ‘design’ plant
genes that more effectively recognise the avirulence gene to
help the plant fight rust infection better.
“Other plants have rust resistance genes which we could
potentially transfer to wheat and likewise we can develop
‘designer’ genes with durable resistance,” says Dr Dodds.
“Our aim is to stack a number of these resistance genes into a
single wheat variety significantly increasing its resistance and
the length of time we expect it to remain resistant.”
Nature’s acknowledgement of Dr Dodds comes as a new and highly
virulent strain of rust called Ug99 encroaches on Asia’s major
wheat growing areas and threatens Australia’s biosecurity.
“Science has an important role in helping address new and
existing environmental challenges to improve the sustainability
of agriculture, feed the world and reduce poverty,” says Dr
Dodds.
“Our research may lead to new varieties of wheat that can help
farmers in Australia and elsewhere to help supply wheat and
wheat products to people worldwide.”
Dr Burdon says, “Dr Dodds’ work is testament to his significant
contribution to CSIRO Plant Industry’s research that is
improving environmental outcomes from agriculture and delivering
healthier food.”
Dr Dodds’ research is supported by
the Grains Research and
Development Corporation. |
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