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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #267450

Title: Quantitative trait loci for resistance to Fusarium head blight in a Chinese wheat landrace Haiyanzhong

Author
item LI, TAO - Kansas State University
item Bai, Guihua
item WU, SHUANGYE - Kansas State University
item GU, SHILIANG - Yangzhou University

Submitted to: Theoretical and Applied Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/31/2011
Publication Date: 2/23/2011
Citation: Li, T., Bai, G., Wu, S., Gu, S. 2011. Quantitative trait loci for resistance to Fusarium head blight in a Chinese wheat landrace Haiyanzhong. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 122:1497-1502.

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, also called scab, can significantly reduce grain yield and end-use quality. Infected grain can be contaminated with mycotoxins that are harmful to human and animal health after consumption of infected grain. Growing resistant cultivars is an effective approach to minimize the FHB damage. The Chinese wheat landrace Haiyanzhong (HYZ) shows a high level of resistance to FHB. We identified four genes for FHB resistance in HYZ with one gene showing a large effect on FHB resistance from chromosome 7D. DNA markers closely linked to the gene were identified. Four other genes having smaller effect on FHB resistance were located on the short arms of chromosome 6B (two genes), 5A and 1A. HYZ carries different resistance genes from those identified in Chinese resistant cultivar Sumai 3 and adds genetic diversity to the Asian FHB resistance gene pool.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat causes not only significant reduction in grain yield and end-use quality, but also the contamination of the grain with mycotoxins that are detrimental to human and animal health after consumption of infected grain. Growing resistant varieties is an effective approach to minimize the FHB damage. The Chinese wheat landrace Haiyanzhong (HYZ) shows a high level of resistance to FHB. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that contribute to FHB resistance in HYZ, 136 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) were developed from a cross between HYZ and Wheaton, a hard spring wheat cultivar from the U.S.A. The RIL and their parents were evaluated for percentage of scabbed spikelets (PSS) in both greenhouse and field environments. Five QTL were detected for FHB resistance in HYZ with one major QTL on 7DL. The 7DL QTL peaked at SSR marker Xwmc121, which is flanked by the SSR markers Xcfd46 and Xwmc702. This QTL explained 20.4-22.6% of phenotypic variances in individual greenhouse experiments, 15.9% in a field experiment, and 29.1% for mean over all greenhouse and field experiments. Four other minor QTL on 6BS (two QTL), 5AS and 1AS explained less than 10% of phenotypic variances in individual experiments. HYZ carried the favorable alleles associated with FHB resistance at the QTL on 7DL, 6BS and 5AS, and the unfavorable allele at the QTL on 1AS. The major QTL in 7DL can be used to improve the FHB resistance in wheat breeding programs and add diversity to the FHB resistance gene pool.