Research interests

• Crop protection in the grains industries
• Pathogen population genetics
• Host resistance studies in wheat stripe rust
• Development of near isogenic lines for pathogen assessments

Background

Dr Wellings is employed by NSW Department of Primary Industries, commencing as an under graduate trainee in 1971. He has been on secondment to The University of Sydney, Cereal Rust Laboratory at the Plant breeding Institute since 1980. During this period, he has assumed research and advisory roles in the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program with particular emphasis on the stripe rust diseases affecting wheat, and certain grasses and barley. His research interests include annual surveys of the pathogen population, studies of host resistance and development of near isogenic lines.

Dr Wellings’ international collaborations began with study leave periods at IPO Wageningen (The Netherlands, 1990) and ICARDA (Syria, 1995). He has developed project proposals and materials for monitoring stripe rust pathogen populations in the developing world. He has travelled widely in the Middle East and Central Asia, and has been an invited guest speaker in several international forums. He is currently Team Leader, Grain Diseases, with NSW DPI.

Qualifications

• B.Sc.Agr. (Hons II), 1975 The University of Sydney
• M.Sc.Agr ,1980  The University of Sydney
• Ph.D., 1986   The University of Sydney
• B.Th., 2001   Tabor College, Sydney

Current projects

I. Stripe rust pathogen studies: Australian P. striiformis survey 

1. Characterised pathogen collection
2. Identification of mutation derivatives and foreign incursions
3. The progressive modification of differential testers
4. The efficient detection of new pathotypes to provide a basis for an early warning system to allow grower response to variety change

II. Molecular studies in P. striiformis 

A range of marker systems, including SSR, AFLP, SAM and S-SAP are evaluated for efficiency as non selected markers in pathogen populations.  Data has so far confirmed the clonal nature of the pathogen population.

III. Genetics of Host Resistance

1. Characterisation of seedling effective resistances in Australian cultivars and overseas germplasm
2. Studies of the genetic nature and diversity of adult plant resistances (APR) in Australian wheats. 
3. Determination of linkage relationships to allow resistance sources to be transferred and exploited in Australia breeding programs.

IV. International Research

1. Monitoring regional populations of Pst. Development of near isogenic lines based on the Australian wheat Avocet S has provided materials for the evaluation of pathogenicity characters in regions with no available greenhouse facilities and specialist expertise. Funding provided by ACIAR.
2. Barley stripe rust. This disease remains exotic to Australia and collaboration with CIMMYT Mexico is providing a basis for breeding for resistance in advance of a potential pathogen incursion.

Significant and recent Publications

Forty four peer reviewed research publications. Significant and recent papers include:

Wellings, C.R. (2007) Puccinia striiformis in Australia: A review of the incursion, evolution and adaptation of stripe rust in the period 1979-2006. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58: (in press)

Park, R.F., Wellings, C.R. and Bariana, H.S. (2006) The Australian Cereal Rust Control Program: the challenge posed by changing pathogen populations. Agromeridian 2: 76-79.

Cakir,M., Spackman,M., Wellings,C.R., Galwey,N.W., Moody,D.B., Poulsen,D., Ogbonnaya,F.C. and Vivar,H. (2003) Molecular mapping as a tool for pre-emptive breeding for resistance to the exotic barley pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f.sp. hordei. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54: 1351-1357.

Wellings,C.R., Wright,D.G., Keiper,F. and Loughman,R. (2003) First detection of wheat stripe rust in Western Australia: evidence for a foreign incursion. Australasian Plant Pathology 32:321-322.

Keiper,F.J., Hayden,M.J., Park,R.F. and Wellings,C.R. (2003) Molecular genetic variability of Australian isolates of five cereal rust pathogens. Mycological Research 107: 545-556.

McIntosh,R.A., Wellings,C.R. and Park,R.F. (1995). “Wheat Rusts - An Atlas of Resistance Genes”. CSIRO Publications Australia, 200 pp.

Wellings,C.R. and McIntosh,R.A. (1990). Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici in Australasia: pathogenic changes during the first ten years. Plant Pathology 39:316-325.

Professional associations and activities

• Member, Australasian Plant Pathology Society (since 1974)
• Secretary, APPS, 1993-1995
• Member, British Plant Pathology Society (since 1989)

Fields of Research

• 070308 Crop and Pasture Protection (Pests, Diseases and Weeds)
• 070305 Crop and Pasture Improvement (Selection and Breeding)
• 060704 Plant Pathology
• 060504 Microbial Ecology
• 060499 Genetics not elsewhere classified

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Cereal plant pathology 
• wheat rusts 
• stripe rust 
• host:pathogen genetics 
• disease resistance breeding 
• wheat production in the developing world