Crop species: Lolium/Festuca (perennial and Italian ryegrass, meadow fescue) forage and amenity grasses. Research areas: Genetic control of flowering and fertility; comparative genomics; tools and resources for Lolium/Festuca genome analysis. Delivery: Direct interaction with breeders for target trait/gene identification and marker development.

Currently I am developing my new scientific portfolio which is the investigation of the response of cereals (wheat and barley) to stress. My immediate interest is the role of the different DELLA (Rht and Sln) alleles in tolerance to abiotic stresses associated with climate change (collaborative funding with Andy Phillips, R. Res). I also have experience in the basis of resistance of maize, wheat and barley to selected biotic stresses (insect and viruses) and through a link with David Laurie (JIC) have been mapping a gene for resistance to virus infection/insect feeding in barley.

Jo Dicks is a Group Leader in Computational Biology at JIC. Areas of expertise are statistical modelling of genomic evolutionary processes, underpinned by informatics efforts centred on comparative genomics and germplasm management. Practical application includes research on both cereals and legumes.

The majority of characters of agronomic importance in crop species show continuous variation where the effects of individual genes (so called Quantitative trait loci), cannot be discerned. The aim of this project is to deploy genetic and genomic tools to map and clone such genes. This is an essential prerequisite for understanding their modes of action and making them available as targets for genetic manipulation by plant breeders. The work has particular emphasis on wheat since this is the UKs most important agricultural crop. The project also targets comparative analysis between wheat and other cereal and model species to integrate the genetics of all the major cereal crops into a common framework.

Crop Focus – Wheat Trait/ Biological interest - Sustainable control of non-biotrophic fungal pathogens, primarily. Fusarium graminearum / F.culmorum causal agents of ear blight and Septoria tritici (Mycosphaerella graminicola) causal agent of leaf blotch and also Oculomacula species causal agents of eyespot and Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici causal agent of Take-all. Mechanism of delivery to crop – selection of novel alleles, improved plant genotypes through breeding and / or transgenesis, identification of novel intervention targets.

The main target of research is to understand the genetic and mechanistic basis of resistance of cereals facultative pathogens (in particular Fusarium head blight (FHB) and eyespot). Work involves in vitro studies with mycotoxins and Fusarium isolates of different chemotype. A significant component of current work is the identification of ‘type 1’ FHB resistance (resistance to initial infection). We identified a potent type 1 FHB resistance gene on chromosome 4A of Triticum macha. Fine mapping of the T. macha 4A type 1 FHB resistance is ongoing and is being combined with gene expression studies to identify candidate resistance genes. Novel sources of ‘type 1’ resistance are being identified. The phenotyping, genetic mapping and QTL analysis of European sources of resistance of these populations is nearing completion. Regulation of trichothecene mycotoxin biosynthesis in relation to host resistance is being examined in selected varieties. Studies using a Fusarium-Arabidopsis pathosystem are being used to identify candidate genes in cereal hosts for subsequent testing in appropriate systems to determine their role in resistance of cereals to facultative pathogens (model-crop translation). Preliminary work involves ‘chemical genetic’ studies and work has begun on silencing of candidate genes involved in ethylene signaling. Trade-off between disease resistance and other agronomic traits is under investigation with emphasis on the Rht (reduced height) genes used in semi-dwarf varieties. The proportion of work on eyespot is increasing. Mapping and molecular studies of two seedling eyespot resistance genes (Pch1 and Pch2) is continuing and is being supplemented with adult plant resistance studies. This involves the use of two species of pathogen. This work is being complemented by similar studies of adult plant resistance.

Chris Rawlings is Head of the Biomathematics and Bioinformatics Department at Rothamsted Research. Within the RRes bioinformatics group we are developing methods for integrating bioinformatics databases and creating applications that support a range of applications relevant to candidate gene identification from crop genetic and genomics studies. These include the annotation of probes on microarrays and the interpretation of microarray data in the context of gene function and pathway information. We have several projects underway using these tools in collaboration with other MONOGRAM PIs to study the genes responding to water and nutrient stress. In the area of crop informatics we are interested in creating tools and resources for candidate gene identification based on comparative analysis of crop species using data from the genetic map and genome sequence information of model organisms. Our strategy is to develop these tools in a way that will be generic to cereals, brassica and energy crops. An example of one such tool currently focused on exploiting wheat EST sequences is the Wheat Estimated Transcript Server (WhETS) developed by Rowan Mitchell available at http://www4.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/whets/cgi-bin/whets1.3/whets_home.pl

The main thrust of the Wheat Genetics Group research at JIC is to investigate the genetical, molecular and physiological control of a range of economically important and biologically interesting traits including -yield and yield components, nitrogen use efficiency, bread-making quality, earliness, height, root development - through large-scale QTL mapping and candidate gene analysis using an extensive array of precise genetic stocks including recombinant doubled haploid and mutant (TILLING) populations. Extensive marker development and comparative mapping using conserved orthologous sequence markers, and candidate gene mapping, is also being carried out. The Group is developing new DH populations for analysis and has currently an extensive programme of near-isogenic line development for QTL previously identified as affecting yield and associated physiological traits, earliness, height etc. In collaboration with Mike Bevan at JIC and international co-operators, we have started a large programme of genetic and physical mapping of Brachypodium distychion. Group expertise: The main thrust of the Wheat Genetics Group research at JIC is to investigate the genetical, molecular and physiological control of a range of economically important and biologically interesting traits including -yield and yield components, nitrogen use efficiency, bread-making quality, earliness, height, root development - through large-scale QTL mapping and candidate gene analysis using an extensive array of precise genetic stocks including recombinant doubled haploid and mutant (TILLING) populations. Extensive marker development and comparative mapping using conserved orthologous sequence markers, and candidate gene mapping, is also being carried out. The Group is developing new DH populations for analysis and has currently an extensive programme of near-isogenic line development for QTL previously identified as affecting yield and associated physiological traits, earliness, height etc. In collaboration with Mike Bevan at JIC and international co-operators, we have started a large programme of genetic and physical mapping of Brachypodium distychion

My main interests are in the development and application of state of the art enabling technologies and approaches to genetics and gene discovery in barley. My group contributed to the development of current barley EST collections, the Reference Barley BAC library, the Barley1 Affymetrix GeneChip and public reverse genetics mutation grid. We are contributing to the global barley (and wheat) physical mapping activities and are currently initiating a number of biologically focussed research strands based on functionally and/or developmentally related mutants.