Brent McCallum

Image Brent McCallum
Research Scientist

I am a plant pathologist specializing in wheat leaf rust disease. My research is focussed on developing genetic resistance to leaf rust and working with plant breeders and geneticists to incorporate this resistance into Canadian wheat cultivars. My program is very collaborative with colleagues in many different research areas and at various research institutions across Canada and the world.

Current research and/or projects

Various research projects focussed on the genetics of wheat leaf rust resistance. This includes discovery of resistance, determination of the genetics of resistance, fine mapping resistance genes, marker development and gene cloning. I also research the causal organism Puccinia triticina conducting an annual virulence survey of the pathogen and other genetic research on this pathogen.

Research and/or project statements

- Genetics of wheat leaf rust resistance.

- Discovery of genetic resistance to diseases in wheat.

- Annual virulence survey of the wheat leaf rust causal organism Puccinia triticina.

- Resistance screening for wheat cultivars in development.

- Mitigating emerging threats to Canadian wheat.

Professional activities / interests

- Genetics.

- Wheat.

- Plant Pathology.

Education and awards

Ph.D. University of Minnesota 1995

M.Sc. University of Manitoba 1991

B.Sc.A. University of Manitoba 1989

International experience and/or work

- Collaborative research projects with colleages in many countries including Brazil, United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

Key publications

  1. Knox, R.E., Bokore, F.E., Cuthbert, R.D., Berraies, S., McCallum, B.D., Henriquez, M.A., Kumar, S., Burt, A., Fetch, T., Monro, C., Bhavani, S., Piche, I., Campbell, H.L., Meyer, B., Ruan, Y., Bhadauria, V., N'diaye, A., Pozniak, C.J., A. Sharpe, A., R., and DePauw, R. 2019. Molecular Breeding Opportunities and Challenges for Complex Trait Recombination on Wheat Chromosome 4B. XXVII International Plant and Animal Genome Conference, San Diego, CA, USA, January 12-16, 2019.

    2019 - View publication details

  2. Ruan, Y., Singh, A.K., Depauw, R.M., Knox, R.E., Cuthbert, R.D., McCallum, B., Fetch, T., Beres, B.L. (2019). AAC stronghold durum wheat. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 99(4), 560-567. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2018-0224

    2019 - View publication details

  3. Kumar, S., Fox, S.L., Fetch, J.M., Green, D., Fetch, T., McCallum, B., Aboukhaddour, R., Henriquez, M.A. (2019). Aac warman canada western red spring wheat. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 99(2), 289-298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2018-0221

    2019 - View publication details

  4. Rosa, S.B., Zanella, C.M., Hiebert, C.W., Brûlé-Babel, A.L., Randhawa, H.S., Shorter, S., Boyd, L.A., McCallum, B.D. (2019). Genetic characterization of leaf and stripe rust resistance in the Brazilian wheat cultivar toropi. Phytopathology, [online] 109(10), 1760-1768. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-05-19-0159-R

    2019 - View publication details

  5. Kumar, S., Fox, S.L., Mitchell Fetch, J., Green, D., Fetch, T., McCallum, B., Aboukhaddour, R., Henriquez, M.A. (2019). AAC LeRoy Canada western red spring wheat. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 99(6), 997-1005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2019-0184

    2019 - View publication details

  6. Kumar, S., Fox, S.L., Mitchell Fetch, J., Green, D., Fetch, T., McCallum, B., Aboukhaddour, R., Henriquez, M.A. (2019). AAC magnet Canada western red spring wheat. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 99(6), 988-996. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2019-0180

    2019 - View publication details

  7. Kosman, E., Chen, X., Dreiseitl, A., McCallum, B., Lebeda, A., Ben-Yehuda, P., Gultyaeva, E., Manisterski, J. (2019). Functional variation of plant–pathogen interactions: New concept and methods for virulence data analyses. Phytopathology, [online] 109(8), 1324-1330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-02-19-0041-LE

    2019 - View publication details

  8. Brar, G.S., Fetch, T., McCallum, B.D., Hucl, P.J., Kutcher, H.R. (2019). Virulence dynamice and breeding for resistance to stripe, stem, and leaf rust in Canada since 2000. Plant Disease, [online] 103(12), 2981-2995. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-19-0866-FE

    2019 - View publication details

  9. Da Silva, G.B.P., Zanella, C.M., Martinelli, J.A., Chaves, M.S., Hiebert, C.W., McCallum, B.D., Boyd, L.A. (2018). Quantitative trait loci conferring leaf rust resistance in hexaploid wheat. Phytopathology, [online] 108(12), 1344-1354. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-06-18-0208-RVW

    2018 - View publication details

  10. Cloutier, S., Ravichandran, S., Edwards, T., McCallum, B., Henriquez, M.A., Humphreys, G., Cao, W., Fedak, G., Pozniak, C., You, F.M. 2018. Identifying and transferring genetic diversity from the wild to improve wheat. 9th Canadian Workshop on FHB & 4th Canadian Wheat Symposium, November 19–22, 2018 Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    2018 - View publication details

  11. Rosa S., Langille L., Humphreys G., McCallum B., Fetch T., Randhawa H., Henriquez M.H., Voldeng H., Cummiskey A., Blackwell B., Scheeren P., Valerio I., and Turra C. (2018) Brazilian spring wheat germplasm as source of genetic variability. Poster and abstract presented at 4th Canadian Wheat Symposium, Nov. 19-22, 2018 in Winnipeg, MB.

    2018 - View publication details

  12. McCallum, B.D., Seto-Goh, P., Foster, A., Xue, A. (2018). Physiological specialization of Puccinia triticina, the causal agent of wheat leaf rust, in Canada in 2012. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, [online] 40(3), 434-441. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07060661.2018.1495267

    2018 - View publication details

  13. Henriquez, M.A., Humphreys, G., McCallum, B.D., Randhawa, H.S., Fetch, T., Fetch, J.M., Wang, X., Belmonte, M.F., McCartney, C.A., Kang-Choi, M. 2018. Integrated genomics, plant pathology and breeding research for improvement of Fusarium head blight, leaf rust and stripe rust resistance in Canadian cereals. Canadian Phytopathological Society Meeting. Quebec, June 17-20, 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  14. Panwar, V., Jordan, M., McCallum, B., Bakkeren, G. (2018). Host-induced silencing of essential genes in Puccinia triticina through transgenic expression of RNAi sequences reduces severity of leaf rust infection in wheat. Plant Biotechnology Journal, [online] 16(5), 1013-1023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12845

    2018 - View publication details

  15. Pei, X., McCallum, B., Hiebert, C., Brule-Babel, A., Knox, R.E., Ruan, Y., Pozniak, C.J., McCartney, C. 2018. Genetic mapping of leaf rust resistance in the tetraploid wheat cross Strongfield/Blackbird .P1064. Plant & Animal Genome Conference XXVI, San Diego, CA, USA, January 13-17, 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  16. Wang, X., Che, M. Z., Khalil, H., McCallum, B., Fetch, T., Bakkeren, G., and Saville. B. J. (2018) The involvement of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of wheat leaf rust fungus, Puccinia triticina. Plant and Animal Genome Conference, January 13-17, San Diego, California, USA (poster).

    2018 - View publication details

  17. Wang, X., Che, M. Z., Khalil, H., McCallum, B., Fetch, T., Bakkeren, G., and Saville. B. J. (2018) The involvement of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of wheat leaf rust fungus, Puccinia triticina. Plant and Animal Genome Conference, January 13-17, San Diego, California, USA (poster).

    2018 - View publication details

  18. Dinushika Thambugala, Anita Brûlé-Babel, George Fedak, Maria Antonia Henriquez, Adam Foster, Richard Martin, Brent McCallum, Jeannie Gilbert, Barbara Blackwell, Dean Spaner, Curtis Pozniak, Amidou N’Diaye and Curt McCartney. 2018. Mapping QTL for Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Canadian Spring Wheat AC Barrie.XXVI International Plant and Animal Genome Conference, San Diego, CA, USA, January 13-17, 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  19. Knox, R.E., Bokore, F., Cuthbert, R., McCallum, B., DePauw, R.M., Hiebert, C., Campbell, H.L., Meyer, B., Fetch, T., Ruan, Y., Sharpe, A.G., and Bhadauria, V. 2018. Evidence for the Lr46 leaf rust resistance gene in the wheat cultivar Carberry. XXVI International Plant and Animal Genome Conference, San Diego, CA, USA, January 13-18, 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  20. Marais, G.F., McCallum, B., Kolmer, J.A., Pirseyedi, S.M., Bisek, B.R., Somo, M. (2018). Registration of spring wheat sources of leaf rust resistance genes Lr53, Lr56, Lr59, and Lr62. Journal of Plant Registrations, [online] 12(1), 157-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.3198/jpr2017.06.0035crgs

    2018 - View publication details

Research facility

Route 100, Unit 100-101
Morden, MB R6M 1Y5
Canada

Expertise

Affiliations

Canadian Phytopathological Society.

Language

English