The Cereal Disease Laboratory was honored with a visit from Minnesota's U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar on May 28, 2008.  Senator Klobuchar visited the laboratory to observe the cereal rust research underway and to show her support for the lab.  She expressed her concerns over the threat to worldwide wheat production caused by the new wheat stem rust race (Ug99) found in Africa and the impact it could have on food prices.  "Food prices have gone up, last eight years - by $100-200 a year for the average family. A shortage of wheat worldwide makes that worse," Klobuchar said.

CDL scientists Marty Carson  and Yue Jin provided a brief history on Ug99, its spread, new virulence variations, and efforts in identifying resistance to this very virulent race group.

Marty Carson, Research Leader, explains wheat stem rust race typing to Senator Klobuchar and Mr. Dave Frederickson, Outreach Director for Agriculture.  (All photos courtesy of M. Moen, University of Minnesota)

 

Graduate student, Matt Rouse, shows Senator Klobuchar phenotyping of stem rust reaction in an experiment to map stem rust resistance genes.

Senator Klobuchar and Cereal Disease Laboratory's principal Ug99 researcher, Yue Jin.

Yue Jin shows how easily rust spores can be rubbed off of infected plants.