Wheat gene behind Hessian fly resistance cloned after 50-year search
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…
Researchers at the University of Maryland have successfully cloned a gene responsible for making wheat resistant to Hessian fly larvae. This gene, H13, directly interacts with a protein produced by the insect, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding and engineering pest resistance in wheat. Hessian flies damage cereal crops globally, causing annual losses estimated at 5% of U.S. wheat yield.
Despite 50 years of research, scientists couldn't demonstrate how wheat genes interact with Hessian fly proteins to trigger an immune response. The study, published in Science Advances, describes the molecular mechanism that enables wheat to resist Hessian fly attacks.
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