Lead Researcher (PI): Zhongwei Zou

Institution: Wilfrid Laurier University

Total WGRF Funding: $152,375

Co-Funders: Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission

Start Date: 2024

Project Length: 5 Years

Objectives:

1. Evaluate Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) disease resistance in canola varieties, including Westar, blackleg resistance lines, spring canola, and winter canola commercial varieties in the greenhouse. 2) Characterize the global gene expression patterns of 118 BnVQs in B. napus under S. sclerotiorum infection in Westar and the most resistant canola line. Identify the critical BnVQs responsible for SSR resistance. 3) Produce transgenic canola lines overexpressing critical BnVQs (positive regulator) and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout BnVQs (negative regulator) for the improvement of SSR disease resistance, which will facilitate the production of DNA-free pre-breeding lines. 4) Identify novel candidate genes highly associated with characterized BnVQs that can improve canola resistance to SSR disease.