Winning the war against parasitic worms

Scientists are 'pyramiding' several different pest resistance genes to help win the war against parasitic worms in wheat. CSIRO Plant Industry scientist, Dr Evans Lagudah, says the protection against cereal cyst nematode (CCN) is reducing a $70 million per year cost to the wheat industry.

CCN is a parasitic worm that attacks and then multiplies on the roots of susceptible cereals. Infested plant root systems become gnarled balls, which inhibit plant growth and dramatically reduce yield. Resistant plants stop the nematode from reproducing in plant roots. "Several different lines of defence are always more effective than one," says Dr Lagudah. "Like all parasites, CCN can change to overcome the single line of defence provided by just one resistance gene. "By 'pyramiding' a number of different resistance genes in one plant we can reduce the risk of new virulent strains of nematode emerging," he says.

This research is a collaborative effort between CSIRO Plant Industry and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment initially supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Graingene now funds this project.