Investigating Rhizoctonia cerealis: Prevalence, History, and Fungicide Sensitivity
This is one of the funded projects for our 2025 Undergraduate vacation bursary, click here to return to the list of 15 projects.
| This project is going to be… | Experimental (lab/field based) |
| Institute | Rothamsted Research |
| Project supervisor | Mr. Fareed Bhatti |
| Title of Project | Investigating Rhizoctonia cerealis: Prevalence, History, and Fungicide Sensitivity |
| Date of Project Commencement | 02 June 2025 |
| Duration (weeks) | 8 |
| Brief Description of Project | BackgroundSharp eyespot, caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis, is a key component of the stem-based disease complex in wheat. While previously considered less devastating than other cereal diseases, it can nevertheless cause significant yield losses, occasionally reaching up to 30% in severe outbreaks. There is evidence that sharp eyespot is an emerging threat to international wheat production (Hamada et al. 2011). The disease is characterised by the development of distinctive, sharply defined lesions on the lower stems, extending up to 30cm above the soil surface. Historically, sharp eyespot in the UK has been managed with fungicides. Various modes of action have been employed over the past 60 years. Control originally utilised the MBC group, followed mainly by imidazoles (prochloraz) and anilopyramidines (cyprodinil) Currently, control relies predominantly on the modern DMIs (e.g. tebuconazole, priothioconazole). Data on R. cerealis is needed to understand long-term pathogen population dynamics, the current importance of this stem base pathogen in the UK, and how possible changes in fungicide sensitivity might be impacting the pathogen population structure.Aims This laboratory based project will characterise R. cerealis using unique genetic resources at Rothamsted Research and an established species-specific qPCR assay (Woodhall et al., 2017). DNA extracted from diseased stem samples collected throughout the UK over three seasons (2022-2024) will be tested with qPCR to determine the current distribution of R. cerealis. The qPCR assay will also be applied to DNA already extracted from the Broadbalk winter wheat experiment (Rothamsted long-term sample archive, pre-1900s to present) to establish the historical presence and absence of the disease on archived straw. Last, historical (R. cerealis isolates pre-2001) and modern(2022 onwards) R. cerealis isolates will be used to investigate possible shifts in sensitivity to DMIs, QoIs, and MBCs in the UK population. Information obtained from this project will help enable better management of sharp eyspot as a contribution to UK food security.The student will be supervised by a PhD student at Rothamsted Research and trained in laboratory skills, including fungal culturing, DNA extraction, DNA sequencing, and qPCR. The student will also benefit from the broader academic and social environment at Rothamsted, with opportunities to attend seminars and network with staff and students. Recommended reading for the projectBearchell, S.J., Fraaije, B.A., Shaw, M.W. and Fitt, B.D., 2005. Wheat archive links long-term fungal pathogen population dynamics to air pollution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(15), pp.5438-5442. Hamada, M.S., Yin, Y., Chen, H. and Ma, Z., 2011. The escalating threat of Rhizoctonia cerealis, the causal agent of sharp eyespot in wheat. Pest Management Science, 67(11), pp.1411-1419. |
