Research in the UCD Small Grains Crop Program

Our research combines multi-environment field trials, genetics and genomics, and high-throughput phenotyping to improve small grains. The goal is to develop bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, oat, and triticale that produce reliable yields and high quality under environmental stress, while meeting the needs of farmers, processors, and consumers.

1) Improving Grain Quality and Human Health
We study the genetic control of grain composition, focusing on traits such as arabinoxylan content and gliadin proteins. By using well-characterized QTLs and targeted deletions in elite wheat backgrounds, we aim to improve nutritional quality and reduce immunogenic components while maintaining agronomic performance and processing quality.

2) Moving Useful Genetics into the Field Faster
We work to shorten the time between discovery and field deployment. Our breeding pipeline integrates genomic selection, speed breeding, and targeted gene validation to move promising traits into adapted germplasm more efficiently. This approach allows us to test genetics under real field conditions earlier and make better selection decisions.

3) Stable Disease Resistance across Genetic Backgrounds
Using stripe rust as a model system, we investigate why resistance genes often perform well in one genetic background but poorly in another. We focus on genetic interactions and modifier loci that affect resistance stability, with the aim of building disease resistance that remains effective across environments and breeding programs.

4) Yield Stability under Low-Input and Stress Conditions
We develop and test novel semidwarfing genes that reduce plant height without compromising biomass or grain filling. These traits are evaluated in low-nitrogen and drought-prone environments to identify plant architectures that maintain yield and stability under limited inputs.

5) Reintroducing Useful Diversity from Landraces
Strong selection in modern breeding has reduced genetic diversity in some wheat genomic regions, while landraces often retain adaptive alleles for stress tolerance and yield stability. We study polyploid genomes and landrace collections to identify adaptive alleles that were lost during improvement. By reintroducing this diversity into elite germplasm, we aim to strengthen long-term resilience and performance in modern wheat varieties.