Lead Researcher (PI): Xiben Wang

Institution: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Total WGRF Funding: $94,796

Co-Funders: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Grains, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute, Manitoba Crop Alliance, Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission

Start Date: 2023

Project Length: 5 Years

Objectives:

i) Develop a comprehensive culture collection of barley leaf spot pathogens, assess the prevalence and severity of barley leaf spot diseases known to be important in western Canada, including net blotch, spot blotch and scald, and maintain a coordinated surveillance network for emerging barley leaf spot pathogens, especially concerning Ramularia leaf spot.
ii) Assess the virulence of barley net blotch, spot blotch, and scald pathogens from producer’s field and study the population genetics of barley net blotch and spot blotch pathogens in western Canada.