A new coccidian species, Isospora elliotae n. sp., from the Australian magpie Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1801) in Western Australia is described and characterised morphologically and molecularly. Microscopic analysis of a faecal sample identified subspheroidal oöcysts (n = 20), 20–22 × 18–20 (20.7 × 18.7); length/width (L/W) ratio 1.05–1.14 (1.10). Wall bi-layered, 1.0–1.3 (1.2) thick, outer layer smooth, c.2/3 of total thickness. Micropyle and oocyst residuum absent, but usually two polar granules are present. Sporocysts (n = 28) ovoidal, 12–13 × 9–11 (12.6 × 9.7); L/W ratio 1.22–1.35 (1.30). Stieda body present, flattened to half-moon-shaped, c. 0.5 deep × 2.0 wide; sub-Stieda indistinct or barely discernible, c. 1.0 deep × 2.5 wide; para-Stieda body absent; sporocyst residuum present, composed of granules dispersed among the sporozoites. Sporozoites vermiform, with anterior and posterior refractile bodies and nucleus. Segments of three gene loci (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and COI) were sequenced and I. elliotae n. sp. exhibited 99.8% genetic similarity to Isospora sp. MAH-2013a (KF648870) followed by 99.7% genetic similarity to Isospora neochmiae Yang, Brice & Ryan, 2016 (KT224380) at the 18S rRNA gene locus. It shared 97.0% genetic similarity with an unnamed Isospora sp. (AY283852) at the 28S rRNA gene locus and it also shared the highest genetic similarity of 99.8% with the unnamed Isospora sp. from an American crow (OL999120) at the COI gene locus. Based on morphological and molecular data, this isolate is a new species named as I. elliotae n. sp.

Reproductive stage frost poses a major constraint for wheat production in countries such as Australia. However, little progress has been made in identifying key genes to overcome the constraint. In the present study, a severe frost event hit two large-scale field trials consisting of six doubled haploid (DH) wheat populations in reproductive stage (young microspore stage) in Western Australia, leading to the identification of 30 robust frost QTL. Results showed that frost damage is associated with dominant alleles of VrnA1a, VrnD1a, Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, and the copy number of Ppd-B1. No frost QTL was detected on chromosomes 5B and 1B, although anthesis QTL and anthesis related genes of VrnB1a and TaFT3_1B were co-detected, indicating that these early-flowering phenotype inducing genes are compatible with frost tolerance and thus can be utilised in breeding. Our results also indicate that wild-type or recessive alleles Rht-B1a (rht1) and Rht-D1a (rht2) can be used when breeding for frost-tolerant varieties without delaying flowering time.