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Poster

Session: Session 2 Presenting Authors at Posters (Odds)

P-195 - Creation and characterization of the Wheat Resistance Gene Library

Wednesday, July 16, 2025
13:30 - 15:15  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Engineering plant-microbe traits

    Presenting Author(s)

  • AA

    Abdulrahman Alhabsi

    Postdoctoral Researcher
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    • Author(s)

  • DZ

    Danni Zou

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • FA

    Francisco Ayala

    PhD Student
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • RS

    Radim Svačina

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • JL

    Jing Lu

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • RA

    Renad Al Ahmadi

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • SM

    Samiya Masood

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • SD

    Serine Duhaithem

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • YA

    Yagiz Alagoz

    Post-doctoral Fellow
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

  • BW

    Brande Wulff

    Prof. Dr.
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
    Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia


Global wheat production is constrained by pests and diseases, historically causing devastating epidemics and famines. Conventional and transgene stacking of resistance (R) genes can provide broad-spectrum resistance in wheat. However, selecting effective wheat R genes for stacking remains a challenge. While >100 R genes have been cloned from wheat and its wild relatives, many have either partial or undocumented efficacy. Background resistance often limits the scope of pathogen isolates that can be tested for variation in virulence against a particular R gene. Therefore, we aim to assess the efficacy of ‘all’ cloned wheat rust R genes, based on gene synthesis and transformation into universally susceptible genotypes to create the Wheat Rust Resistance Gene Library. We have selected susceptible check lines used by breeders for comprehensive stem, stripe, and leaf rust pathogenecity tests and transformation competence. We will transform the selected lines with individual cloned R genes, to create an isogenic library. With international collaborators we will evaluate the efficacy of the cloned R genes by deep phenotyping. Additionally, we are testing the function of shortened R genes (where the non-coding regions have been pruned), as a strategy to mitigate the size limitation for R gene stacking. Identifying R genes with the highest efficacy will facilitate the judicious design and construction of R gene stacks that confer durable and broad-spectrum rust resistance.