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Review
. 2022 Sep 8:13:983243.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.983243. eCollection 2022.

Wheat blast: A review from a genetic and genomic perspective

Md Motaher Hossain  1
Affiliations
Review

Wheat blast: A review from a genetic and genomic perspective

Md Motaher Hossain. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

The newly emerged wheat blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) is a severe threat to global wheat production. The fungus is a distinct, exceptionally diverse lineage of the M. oryzae, causing rice blast disease. Genome-based approaches employing MoT-specific markers are used to detect MoT field isolates. Sequencing the whole genome indicates the presence of core chromosome and mini-chromosome sequences that harbor effector genes and undergo divergent evolutionary routes. Significant genetic and pathotype diversity within the fungus population gives ample potential for evolutionary change. Identifying and refining genetic markers allows for tracking genomic regions with stable blast resistance. Introgression of quantitative and R gene resistance into popular cultivars is crucial to controlling disease in areas where the pathogen population is diverse and well established. Novel approaches such as CRISPR/Cas-9 genome editing could generate resistant varieties in wheat within a short time. This chapter provides an extensive summary of the genetic and genomic aspects of the wheat blast fungus MoT and offers an essential resource for wheat blast research in the affected areas.

Keywords: genetic diversity; genome analysis; genome editing; host resistance; pathotype.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
A map depicting the global appearance and spread of wheat blast over time.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
A map showing blast-infected areas in Bangladesh in 2017 and 2018. The figure is produced using the data of Yesmin et al. (2020).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Infected wheat plants showing typical wheat blast symptoms and signs. (A) A severely blast infected wheat field showing silvery bleached spikes with green canopies in Meherpur District in Bangladesh. (B) Wheat blast symptoms on wheat heads having dark-colored infection points. (C) Typical partial or full bleached spikes in the field. (D) Dark-gray sporulation of the fungus MoT on the blighted rachis. (E) Infected glume with dark-gray sporulation of the fungus MoT. (F) Severely shriveled or wrinkled wheat grains from the blast-affected spike. (G) Typical elongated or elliptical lesions on wheat leaves. (H) A typical elliptical lesion with white to tan centers and a reddish-brown margin on a mature leaf. (I) Two-septate hyaline to pale gray-colored pyriform conidia of MoT under a compound microscope (magnification 400 ×).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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