Research

« Return to all Research Projects

Section Title

Generating a rapid and low-cost diagnosis of fungi on wheat

Crop Types
  • Wheat

Summary

This study reports on a new method used for the identification of Fusarium and rust fungi that occur on Canadian wheat (MALDI-TOF MS). The method is inexpensive to perform and is very rapid, making it an attractive testing option for scientists, pathologists, breeders, and farmers that need accurate pathogen identifications for fungi causing disease on Canadian Farms.  In addition to being used for identification of pathogens, the method also gathers molecular information about the pathogens that may correlate with disease trends and would bring added value to disease monitoring programs. Establishing these tools for Fusarium and rust fungi also lays the foundation for further development of the method to include additional bacteria and fungi that are important to farmers.

Key Takeaways

  • While the instrument required to perform the test is expensive, it is a common and widely accepted method used for the identification of microbes and many organizations have instruments capable of testing, including the Canadian Grain Commission and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Now that methods and databases are developed that are relevant to Canadian agriculture, the methods can be adopted by national disease monitoring programs and be picked up by third party testing facilities.

Project Details

Principal Investigator
Dr. Sean Walkowiak
Project Status
Completed
Start Date
2021
Completion Date
2024
Funding Partners
SWDC, WGRF
Total Project Cost
287500
MCA Funding
66775

Top