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USDA-ARS research focuses on emerging cereal diseasesWheat research at the USDA-ARS Plant Science and Entomology Research Unit in Manhattan focuses on several important wheat diseases including leaf rust, stripe rust, stem rust, scab and Karnal bunt (Kb). All of these diseases have serious economic impacts, and none of them are adequately controlled with current methods. Wheat remains vulnerable to natural or maliciously-introduced strains that may threaten our competitive position in the world marketplace. Working closely with university colleagues, USDA researchers are developing experimental wheat breeding lines with new sources of resistance to these threats to the yield and quality of the winter wheat crop. One of the research targets is Karnal bunt, which first arrived in the United States about 10 years ago. Karnal bunt is a minor disease in terms of yield loss, but poses a significant economic threat to the U.S. wheat export industry due to international quarantine regulations by many of our trading partners. The Karnal Bunt Research Consortium is working on Kb-resistant varieties, which could help reduce the risk of quarantine trade barriers. This Consortium includes USDA-ARS, Kansas State University, Texas A&M University, and Oklahoma State University, as well as international collaborators. Researchers in the consortium hope to release the first KB-resistant winter wheat variety in the next year. Unfortunately, Karnal bunt research in Manhattan is facing potential funding cuts in the next federal budget year. The proposed terminations include some of the USDA-ARS Manhattan lab's base funding, in addition to funds earmarked for Karnal bunt research. The proposed budget would eliminate all funding to the multi-state Karnal Bunt Research Consortium that is funded through the Plant Science and Entomology Research Unit in Manhattan. Without continued funding, researchers won't be able to finish the project, which should result in several high-yielding resistant varieties within three years. "We have the potential to see successful outcomes from this program. This will happen only if the Karnal bunt research funding continues," said Kansas Wheat CEO Dusti Fritz. "We need to keep these funds in Kansas, working for wheat growers." As the Karnal bunt research is being completed, there is a golden opportunity to redirect existing research efforts to new and emerging cereal disease threats such as stripe, leaf and stem rust. Members of the National Wheat Improvement Committee will be traveling to Washington D.C. on March 3 and 4 to discuss these research priorities with U.S. Congressional Members. The Committee will reiterate the fact that this work on Kansas wheat needs to continue and push for redirection of Karnal bunt funds into broader research on Emerging Cereal Diseases. To voice your support of essential work on resistance to cereal diseases such as Karnal bunt, stem rust, stripe rust and leaf rust, contact your senators and representatives.
Date: 3/27/08
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