Wheat gene behind Hessian fly resistance cloned after 50-year search
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Researchers at the University of Maryland and their collaborators have cloned a gene that makes wheat resistant to feeding by Hessian fly larvae and demonstrated its direct interaction with a protein produced by the insect. The research breaks through a longstanding barrier to understanding and engineering pest resistance in wheat. It is described in a research paper published Aug. 14, 2026, in the journal Science Advances.
Key takeaways
- 01Researchers at the University of Maryland and their collaborators have cloned a gene that makes wheat resistant to feeding by Hessian fly larvae and demonstrated its direct interaction with a protein produced by the insect.
- 02The research breaks through a longstanding barrier to understanding and engineering pest resistance in wheat.
- 03It is described in a research paper published Aug.
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