Fungal diseases of wheat, are considered as some of the most important causes of yield loss in almost all wheat-growing environments. The long-term success of breeding for disease resistance is influenced by 1) the nature of the pathogen, 2) availability, diversity and type of genetic resistance and 3) screening methodology and selection environment for tracking resistance.

Advancements in identification and application of DNA-based molecular markers has facilitated and strengthened the breeding programs for disease resistance in wheat. International Workshop on "Marker Assisted Breeding for Disease Resistance in Wheat" aims to discuss the most recent achievements in this field with emphasis on the following diseases in wheat: Septorias, Fusarium Head Blights and Rusts.

The workshop will be held at the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Karaj, Iran from 10 to 12 May 2009. The lectures will be given by senior scientists from ABRII, Iran; John Innes Centre, UK; University of BOKU, Austria; University of Wageningen, the Netherlands; University of Sydney, Australia; North Dakota State University, USA and ICARDA. The courses will be held in English and participants should have expertise and experience in working on one of the aforementioned fields.