Jingjuan Zhang

Research is in progress to use biotechnological tools to aid development of new forms of diagnostics and resistance to nematodes in wheat. For diagnostics, protein profiling by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy has been used to identify a range of nematode species, including seed gall, root-lesion and stem nematodes. Nematode species, and in some cases, races, can be identified and differentiated on the basis of characteristic protein biomarkers. A reproducible assay system for compounds that affect root-lesion nematode replication, based on carrot mini-discs, has been developed. Genomic studies have also been initiated to generate eDNA libraries and genomic sequences of root lesion and cereal cyst-nematodes. For new forms of genetic resistance to nematode pests of cereals, molecular approaches are in progress to identify new gene targets, generation of potential resistance-conferring gene constructs and their introduction into wheat by particle bombardment followed by regeneration and challenge to identify nematode resistant wheat plants.