Researchers at the University of Sydney have made a major breakthrough in treating wheat with stem rust . They were able to identify the genomic sign in the stem rust fungus that indicates it is resistant to genetic modification of wheat through inclusion of the SR50 gene , which is used to treat stem growth fungus . In many cases , the fungus damages the gene and by the time the rust is visible it is often too late to counter it effectively . By pinpointing the SR50-resistant gene , the researcher can determine what type of treatment the crop will need far more quickly .
Researchers at the University of Sydney have made a major breakthrough in treating wheat crop stem rust. They were able to identify the genomic sign in the stem rust fungus that indicates it is resistant to genetic modification of wheat through inclusion of the SR50 gene, which is used to combat stem rust fungus. In many cases, the fungus overcomes the gene and by the time the rust is visible it is often too late to counter it effectively. By pinpointing the SR50-resistant gene, the researchers can determine what kind of treatment the crop will need far more quickly.