Background
Rusts are a group of plant diseases that are caused by certain types of plant pathogenic fungi. Three types of rust diseases, namely leaf, stem and stripe rusts, are the most widespread diseases of wheat, each causing great yield losses globally;
Modern wheat cultivars contain many resistance (R) genes that have been used to protect wheat and prevent diseases. However, over the years, new races of rusts have evolved, which overcome most of the wheat R genes. There is an urgent need to reinforce the wheat gene pool with new R genes from external sources that have remained effective against the new races of the pathogens.
The technology
A novel leaf and stripe rust resistance gene from Aegilops longissima, a wild diploid plant relative of wheat.
Stage of Development
Screening of a panel of Ae. longissima combined with association genomics led to identification of a candidate leaf rust resistance gene. Further analysis showed that the gene is also associated with resistance to yellow rust.;
The connection of the candidate gene with the observed resistance to leaf and yellow rusts was further validated by presence absence association of the gene (DNA) and transcript (RNA) in sensitive and resistant plants.;
Final confirmation of activity of the cloned gene will be performed by generation of transgenic wheat lines and testing their response to leaf and stripe rust isolates. 
Intellectual Property
Provisional patent application was filed