Wheat is one of the most important crops worldwide and is especially vital in the high plains region of the united states, where IT is well-suited to dry conditions and provides critical benefits such…

The University of Nebraska received a $325,000 Project Grant award dated September 15, 2025, from the Institute of Food Production and Sustainability under the Crop Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program (CFDA 10.329) to address wheat stem sawfly (WSS) damage in the High Plains region. The three-year research initiative, with a completion date of September 14, 2028, focuses on identifying and characterizing natural resistance mechanisms in wheat and barley varieties to develop improved pest management solutions. The project will investigate plant traits—including photosynthesis efficiency, plant chemistry, and structural compounds such as lignin—that contribute to sawfly non-preference or reduced larval survival, with the goal of providing plant breeders with additional molecular markers for developing high-yielding wheat varieties that are resistant to WSS infestation.

The research deliverables will advance integrated pest management approaches for wheat production by generating scientific data on resistance mechanisms that can inform future breeding programs. Current control methods such as insecticides, early harvest, and tillage have proven ineffective or counterproductive, while solid-stemmed wheat varieties, though beneficial for reducing lodging, often suffer yield penalties. By identifying specific genetic and biochemical traits associated with WSS resistance in both wheat and barley germplasm, this project will provide farmers and breeders with viable alternatives to conventional management practices, ultimately supporting sustainable crop production and soil conservation in a critical agricultural region.

Wheat is one of the most important crops worldwide and is especially vital in the high plains region of the united states, where IT is well-suited to dry conditions and provides critical benefits such as soil erosion protection, water conservation, and sustainable crop production. However, wheat production in this region faces a serious threat from the wheat stem sawfly (WSS), an insect pest that damages plants from the inside and causes them to fall over making harvest difficult and causing yield losses. This not only reduces yields by as much as 30% but also undermines the benefits wheat provides for soil and water conservation by the residue left after harvest. In some areas, WSS has caused millions of dollars in losses each year and farmers are discouraged by the persistent WSS damage. Methods such as insecticides, cutting wheat early, or tilling fields have not provided lasting solutions and sometimes cause new problems for soil health or farm profitability. The most effective tool to date has been planting wheat varieties with solid stems, which reduce lodging from sawfly damage. But these varieties can still suffer yield losses, and many farmers prefer hollow-stemmed wheat because they usually have higher yields. Therefore more options are needed and this project aims to address that need.researchers will investigate how certain wheat varieties naturally seem to resist sawfly infestation, focusing on plant traits that make them less attractive to the pest (non-preference) or less suitable for larval survival. Early results suggest that differences in photosynthesis, plant chemistry, and structural compounds like lignin may play an important role. By identifying these traits, plant breeders will have additional markers to use when developing wheat varieties that are both high-yielding and resistant to sawfly damage. Some barley varieties that are resistant to other pests also show reduced damage from sawfly, and studying these could reveal new resistance genes that could be brought into wheat. Additionally, the team will test whether wheat plants with modified lignin pathways, developed in earlier pilot work, show improved resilience against sawfly attack. The overall goal is to combine insights from physiology, chemistry, and genetics to create multiple layers of host plant resistance, making IT harder for sawflies to adapt and ensuring that resistance is long-lasting. Farmers and stakeholders will be closely involved through field days, advisory boards, and extension programs to ensure that the results are practical and meet grower needs. This project will help deliver durable strategies to protect wheat production in the high plains, reduce economic losses, and increase resilience of wheat-based farming systems.