Fighting wheat powdery mildew: from genes to fields

Powdery mildew of wheat is one of the most destructive diseases seriously threatening the crop yield and quality worldwide. The genetic research on powdery mildew (Pm) resistance has entered a new era. Many Pm genes from wheat and its wild and domesticated relatives have been mined and cloned. Meanwhile, modern breeding strategies based on high-throughput sequencing and genome editing are emerging and developing toward more intelligent and customized. This review highlights mining and cloning of Pm genes, molecular mechanism studies on the resistance and avirulence genes, and prospects for genomic-assisted breeding for powdery mildew resistance in wheat.

Automated summary

Powdery mildew of wheat is a highly destructive disease that poses a serious threat to crop yield and quality worldwide. Genetic research on powdery mildew (Pm) resistance has made significant progress, with the identification and cloning of many Pm genes from wheat and its wild and domesticated relatives. Moreover, modern breeding strategies, such as high-throughput sequencing and genome editing, are being developed to enhance intelligence and customization in breeding for powdery mildew resistance in wheat.