Clubroot resistance gene function based on whole genome sequences, genome editing and resistance phenotypes

Project Summary

Clubroot is one of the most important disease issues in Canadian canola. The deployment of genetically resistant cultivars is the most effective and widely used strategy to manage this disease. However, new pathotypes have emerged that can overcome host resistance. The University of Alberta Plant Pathology Group has recently partnered with BASF to work together to identify new sources of resistance for growers.

This research will build on previous work, by providing for additional resources to include additional components that will improve understanding of clubroot resistance genes and their function. Whole genome sequencing data from over 30 host genotypes, representing six Brassica species, will be combined with phenotypic data obtained from inoculation with 36 pathotypes of the clubroot pathogen. This will enable a unique and large-scale analysis of the genetics of clubroot resistance, yielding multiple benefits including: better-characterized resistance genes and understanding of their function; potential resistance gene labeling approaches; improved resistance stewardship; the development of tightly linked molecular markers for marker-assisted selection; and an enhancement of the capacity for knowledge-based clubroot resistance breeding in canola.

Ultimately, this research will contribute to the sustainable long-term management of clubroot of canola.

Objective

This research will characterize clubroot resistance genes based on genome-wide association analyses between clubroot disease data and the whole genome sequence (WGS) data from University of Alberta clubroot resistance donors and 28 Brassica hosts available from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and Brassica database (BRAD) websites.