The overall goal of GeneBank3.0 is to transform IPK's ex situ wheat collection into one that is actively used in breeding by applying an integrated approach that includes state-of-the-art genomics, phenomics, biodiversity informatics, and precision breeding. Strategies for exploiting genetic resources range from identifying point mutations to gametes with high breeding value. The Pre-breeding strategies developed and initiated in the first two phases will be continued in the third projects phase. This mainly refers to the use of valuable new alleles and genes for the traits grain yield, anther extrusion as well as leaf rust, yellow rust and powdery mildew resistance.

We will extend the molecular atlas of wheat accessions of the IPK ex situ genebank with wild relatives and sequence two genotypes de novo as a contribution to international initiatives. Using the Macrobot platform, new resistance loci to powdery mildew, yellow rust and leaf rust not yet used in breeding will be fine mapped and validated. The goal is to build a publicly available library of donors that are carriers of rare resistance loci to different races of powdery mildew, yellow rust, and leaf rust that have not yet been used in breeding. The search for new traits will focus on genetic variation for open wheat flowering, as this is important for hybrid wheat breeding. Furthermore, genome-based precision pre-breeding programs will continue to demonstrate the utility of genetic resources as donors of valuable variation for complex inherited traits. The extensive data will be analyzed with a specially adapted biodiversity informatics toolbox and will be made available interoperable with other international initiatives as part of an information system.