Cereal Genomics Team

Leader

Prof. Halina Wiśniewska

Staff

Maciej Majka, MSc (PhD student)
Jolanta Belter, MSc Eng.

Cereal Genomics Team conducts research on theoretical and practical aspects of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids as well as substitution, translocation and introgression lines, mainly within wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rye (Secale cereale L.). and × Triticosecale Witt. The goal of research is to resolve genome organization, to karyotype and to reveal mechanisms of chromosome translocation induction. Furthermore, the aim of work is to extend species biodiversity and to transfer new, valuable genes to improve the quality of yield and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Research profile

• Analysis of genome organisation of hybrid plants from wide hybridisation between triticale or rye and Aegilops species
• Karyotyping of hybrid plants
• Analysis of genetic mechanisms inducing chromosome translocations
• Extending of triticale genetic variation by intergeneric hybridisation aimed at introducing genes connected with resistance to cereal diseases caused by pathogenic fungi Puccinia triticina and Blumeria graminis
• Searching, collecting and introducing to wheat and triticale traits underlying tolerance to diseases caused by pathogenic fungi from genus Fusarium (Fusarium head blight) and Oculimacula (eyespot)

Research methods

• cytogenetic methods (fluorescence and genomic in situ hybridisation)
• molecular identification of genes of resistance to cereal diseases, caused by pathogenic fungi, with the use of validated molecular and isoenzymatic markers
• in vitro anther cultures
• inoculation tests in field conditions and evaluation of genotypes  (phenotype markers)
• inoculation tests in greenhouse (validation of plant resistance  to pathogenic fungi infection)

Current works

• Analysis of susceptibility to leaf rust(Puccinia triticina) and evaluation of qualitative trait variation  in triticale heksaploid introgressive lines with introduced fragments of Ae. tauschii genome
• Identification of chromosomes in diploid and tetraploid species of wild goatgrasses (Aegilops sp.) and in hybrid forms within tribe Triticeae.
• Searching, creation, evaluation and collecting of resistance sources  to Fusarium head blight in wheat and triticale.
• Analysis of resistance of wheat and triticale genotypes to Fusarium head blight and Fusarium mycotoxin accumulation  in seeds.
• Identification and introduction into the genome of genes determining wheat resistance to eyespot caused by fungi from the genus Oculimacula

Publications

1. Goriewa-Duba K., Duba A., Kwiatek M., Wiśniewska H., Wachowska U, Wiwart M. (2018). Chromosomal distribution of pTa-535, pTa-86, pTa-713, 35S rDNA repetitive sequences in interspecific hexaploid hybrids of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.). PLoS ONE 13(2): e0192862. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192862
2. Majka J., Zwierzykowski Z., Majka M., Kosmala A. (2018). Karyotype reshufflings of Festuca pratensis × Lolium perenne hybrids. Protoplasma 255:451-458, DOI 10.1007/s00709-017-1161-5
3. Kwiatek M.T., Majka J., Majka M., Belter J., Wiśniewska H. (2017). Adaptation of the pivotal-differential genome pattern for the induction of intergenomic chromosome recombination in hybrids of synthetic amphidiploids within Triticeae tribe. Frontiers in Plant Science doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01300
4. Majka M., Kwiatek M.T., Majka J., Wiśniewska H. (2017). Aegilops tauschii accessions with geographically diverse origin show differences in chromosome organization and polymorphism of molecular markers linked to leaf rust and powdery mildew resistance genes. Frontiers in Plant Science 8:1149. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01149
5. Majka J., Majka M., Kwiatek M., Wiśniewska H. (2017). Similarities and differences in the nuclear genome organization within Pooideae species revealed by comparative genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Journal of Applied Genetics 58(1): 151–161, DOI: 10.1007/s13353-016-0369-y
6. Kwiatek M., Wiśniewska H., Ślusarkiewicz-Jarzina A., Majka J., Majka M., Belter J., Pudelska H. (2017). Gametocidal factor transferred from Aegilops geniculata . Frontiers in Plants Science, 8: 409 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00409
7. Kwiatek D., Kubicki M., Belter J.,  Jastrząb R., Wiśniewska H., Lis S., Hnatejko Z. (2017). Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and antifungal activity studies of five novel complexes with pyridine carboxamides. Polyhedron 133: 187-194
8. Wiśniewska H., Surma M., Krystkowiak K., Adamski T., Kuczyńska A., Ogrodowicz P., Mikołajczak K., Belter J., Majka M., Kaczmarek Z., Krajewski P., Sawikowska A., Lenc L., Baturo-Cieśniewska A., Łukanowski A., Góral T., Sadowski Cz. (2016). Simultaneous selection for yield-related traits and susceptibility to Fusarium head blight in spring wheat RIL population. Breeding Science. 66: 1-12. DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.66.1
9. Kwiatek M., Majka M., Majka J., Belter J., Suchowilska E., Wachowska U., Wiwart M., Wiśniewska H. (2016). Intraspecific polymorphisms of cytogenetic markers mapped on chromosomes of Triticum polonicum L. PlosOne, 11(7): e0158883
10. Majka M., Kwiatek M., Belter J., Wiśniewska H. (2016). Characterization of morphology and resistance to Blumeria graminis of winter triticale monosomic addition lines with chromosome 2D of Aegilops tauschii. Plant Cell Reports, 35: 2125-2135
11. Kwiatek M., Belter J., Majka M., Wiśniewska H. (2016). Allocation of the S-genome chromosomes of Aegilops variabilis Eig. carrying powdery mildew resistance in triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack). Protoplasma, 253: 329–343
12. Kwiatek M., Majka M., Ślusarkiewicz-Jarzina A., Ponitka A., Pudelska H., Belter J., Wiśniewska H. (2016). Transmission of the Aegilops ovata chromosomes carrying gametocidal factors in hexaploid triticale (×Triticosecale Wittm.) hybrids. Journal of Applied Genetics, 57: 305-315
13. Perlikowski D., Wiśniewska H., Kaczmarek J., Góral T., Ochodzki P., Kwiatek M., Majka M., Augustyniak A., Kosmala A. (2016). Alterations in kernel proteome after infection with Fusarium culmorum in two triticale cultivars with contrasting resistance to Fusarium head blight. Frontiers in Plant Science. 7: 1217: DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01217
14. Góral T., Wiśniewska H., Ochodzki P., Walentyn-Góral D. (2016). Higher Fusarium toxin accumulation in grain of winter triticale lines inoculated with Fusarium culmorum as compared with wheat. Toxins. 8(10):301: DOI: 10.3390/toxins8100301
15. Surma M., Adamski T., Wiśniewska H., Kaczmarek Z., Mejza I., Mejza S.F., Kuczyńska A., Krystkowiak K., Mikołajczak K., Ogrodowicz P. (2016). Uni- and multivariate approaches to evaluating the susceptibility of wheat hybrids to Fusarium head blight. Czech Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding . 52 (4): 132-8. DOI: 10.17221/86/2016-CJGPB

Research projects

• Project N^o: 2014/15/N/NZ9/00448
  Project title: Genetic improvement of triticale by distant crosses with Aegilops tauschii x Secale cereale amphiploid forms in order to transfer the leaf rust resistance genes

  PI: M. Majka
  Type: PRELUDIUM
  Duration: 20 lipca 2015 - 20 stycznia 2019

• Project N^o: HOR hn-801-8/14 zad. 2
  Project title: The use of molecular and phenotypic markers to identify genes of wheat resistance toeyespot caused by Oculimacula yallundae and O. acuformis
  PI: H. Wiśniewska
  Type: MRiRW Postęp biologiczny
  Duration: 1 stycznia 2014 - 31 grudnia 2020
• Project N^o: HOR hn-801-8/14 zad. 14
  Project title: Analyses of types of winter triticale resistance to Fusarium head blight with the use of phenotypic and metabolic markers
  PI: H. Wiśniewska
  Type: MRiRW Postęp biologiczny
  Duration: 1 stycznia 2014 - 31 grudnia 2020
• Project N^o: 3/0004/L-8/16/NCBR/2017