Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Cereal Disease Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #213551
Title: NEW FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT RESISTANCE SPRING WHEAT GERMPLASM IDENTIFIED IN THE USDA NATIONAL SMALL GRAIN COLLECTION

Author
item ZHANG, XIULING - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Jin, Yue
item RUDD, JACKIE - TEXAS A & M
item Bockelman, Harold

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/24/2007
Publication Date: 1/1/2008
Citation: Zhang, X., Jin, Y., Rudd, J., Bockelman, H.E. 2008. New fusarium head blight resistance spring wheat germplasm identified in the USDA National Small Grain Collection. Crop Science. 48:223-235.

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive wheat diseases worldwide. Sources of FHB resistance are limited. The objectives of this study were to screen selected spring wheat accessions in the USDA National Small Grains Collection for FHB reactions using FHB index, visual scabby kernel (VSK), and deoxynivalenol (DON) content. A total of 1035 spring wheat accessions were initially screened in unreplicated field evaluation nurseries in 1998 and 1999. Accessions with low FHB were selected as putative resistant materials and were tested in replicated trials from 1999 to 2002. After three years of evaluation, we identified 73 accessions with resistance to FHB, including 10 accessions previously reported as resistant to FHB. Selections from Europe had the highest percentage of resistance to VSK, followed by selections from South America and Asia. We concluded that there is diversity for FHB resistance in wheat. FHB resistance identified from Europe appeared to be unique in that these accessions normally displayed a moderate level of disease in the field, but a higher level of resistance based on VSK and DON. The discovery of diverse resistant sources will provide diversity so that higher levels of resistance could be developed in breeding programs. The novelty and types of FHB resistance in these selections should be further characterized using molecular markers and different inoculation techniques.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive wheat diseases worldwide. Sources of FHB resistance are limited. The objectives of this study were to screen selected spring wheat accessions in the USDA National Small Grains Collection for FHB reactions using FHB index, visual scabby kernel (VSK), and deoxynivalenol (DON) content. A total of 1035 spring wheat accessions were initially screened in unreplicated field evaluation nurseries in 1998 and 1999. Accessions with low FHB were selected as putative resistant materials and were tested in replicated trials from 1999 to 2002. After three years of evaluation, 73 accessions with resistance were identified, including 10 accessions previously reported as resistant to FHB. Selections from Europe had the highest percentage of resistance to VSK, followed by selections from South America and Asia. We concluded that there is diversity for FHB resistance in wheat. FHB resistance identified from Europe appeared to be unique in that these accessions normally displayed a moderate level of disease in the field, but a higher level of resistance based on VSK and DON. The discovery of diverse resistant sources will provide diversity so that higher levels of resistance could be developed. The novelty and types of FHB resistance in these selections should be further characterized using molecular markers and different inoculation techniques.