Confirmation of Candidature - Genome Wide Association Studies of Diverse Barley Collection for net Form net Blotch Seedling Resistance

Barley is the second most important crop in Australia after wheat in terms of production. which has declined in recent years, due to foliar diseases. Net form net blotch is one of the major foliar diseases of barley and is caused by the ascomycete Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt). Net form net blotch can be managed by field sanitation, crop rotation, timely sowing, seed treatment, and fungicide application. Genetic resistance is, however, the most ideal strategy to manage net form net blotch in barley. This study will investigate a diverse barley panel of 360 genotypes, including wild relatives, landraces, and breeding lines with the aim to identify net form net blotch resistant genotypes. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) will also be undertaken to enable rapid identification of novel resistance genes and closely linked molecular markers to help with marker-assisted breeding. 

For more information, please email the Graduate Research School or phone 0746 311088.