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Technical University of Munich

GWECAs: Genome-wide epidemiological climatic analyses

Identification of resistance genes for plant breeding in climate change with genome-wide epidemiological-climatic analyses

Climate change is increasingly challenging agriculture. The project uses genome-wide epiodemiological climatic analyses (GWECAs) to look at how genes, pathogens and the climate interact. In this way, the scientists help to make agriculture more resistant to climate change.

Project partners: Prof. Aurélien Tellier (TUM), Prof. Franziska Wespel (HSWT), Dr. Markus Herz (LfL), Manuel Spannagl (Helmholtz Center)

Duration: 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2025

Background

Sufficient evidence now exists of devastating epidemics in crops (Ug99 cereal black rust), livestock (H5N1 avian influenza) and humans (Covid-19). Infectious diseases in crops and livestock represent a considerable burden for agriculture, as they have a direct impact on yields and production losses as well as indirect effects such as quality losses. Climate change and global trade increase the likelihood of devastating epidemics and thus the unpredictability of production and yields because

  • rising temperatures increase the geographical range of infectious diseases and the severity of epidemics,
  • pathogen strains travel easily between locations with favorable environmental conditions for epidemics, and
  • new epidemics emerge due to the increasing frequency of host jumps.

Modern breeding for disease resistance in crops or livestock is an arms race with pathogens. This is further accelerated and complicated by climate change. How susceptible crops or livestock are to pathogens and how severe epidemics are depends on the host's and the pathogen's genes as well as the climate and environmental context. This interplay is called GxGxE interaction.

We need to find new resistance genes to increase the resistance of crops and livestock to epidemics. In order to optimize the spatial and temporal deployment of resistant genotypes in the agricultural landscape, the effects of pathogen genetic diversity and climate change on GxGxE interactions must also be quantified and predicted. Genome-wide epidemiological climatic analyses (GWECAs) help to understand the interplay of genetics, disease patterns and climate. This is essential to develop resistance strategies against diseases under changing environmental conditions. They enable precise predictions and adaptations in agriculture to effectively meet the challenges of climate change.

Goals

The project pursues three objectives:

  • To develop a novel GWECA framework for the discovery of novel resistance genes in crop plants and to identify the pathogen genes for infectivity and to assess and predict the environmental impact, especially climate, on the occurrence and severity of local epidemics,
  • Obtaining genome data of spring barley and Fusarium sp. from various field trials in Bavaria as evidence for the application of our GWECA method,
  • Establishment of a Bavarian and European network of interested researchers and breeders to further develop the method and implement the GWECA scheme for the discovery of new genes and in the breeding of various major crops (barley, wheat, maize) and livestock (poultry, cattle, pigs).

As a pilot project and proof of concept for Genome-Wide Epidemiological Climatic Analyses (GWECAs), the team of experts will focus on spring barley and toxin-producing Fusarium fungal pathogens.

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