Research into switchgrass rust resistance gene funded

Biomass Power & Thermal
By Lisa Gibson March 24, 2011

Researchers at Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State University and Iowa State University have discovered potential rust resistant genes in switchgrass cultivars.

An assistant professor of horticulture at Virginia Tech has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop and deploy rust fungus resistant genes and monitor the pathogen in switcghrass. It’s the second monetary award his research into rust-resistance has earned him.

Bingyu Zhao and his research colleagues at Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State University and Iowa State University discovered potential rust resistance genes in several switchgrass cultivars from their large germplasm. The researchers will now work to enhance their ability to genetically identify rust resistance genes and associate those genes with molecular markers. They will also develop a system for functional analysis of putative rust resistance genes in switchgrass; and analyze the DNA of the switchgrass rust pathogen to determine the structure and dynamics of rust populations across the country, according to Virginia Tech.

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