Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #339858
Title: Validation of fusarium head blight resistance QTL in US winter wheat

Author
item PETERSEN, STINE - North Carolina State University
item LYLERLY, JEANETTE - North Carolina State University
item MCKENDRY, ANNE - University Of Missouri
item Islam, Md
item Brown-Guedira, Gina
item DONG, YANHONG - University Of Minnesota
item MURPHY, J - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2017
Publication Date: 2/28/2017
Citation: Petersen, S., Lylerly, J.H., McKendry, A.L., Islam, M.S., Brown Guedira, G.L., Dong, Y., Murphy, J.P. 2017. Validation of fusarium head blight resistance QTL in US winter wheat. Crop Science. 57:1-12.

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium head blight (FHB) can significantly reduce the grain quality of wheat due to mycotoxin contamination. Two US soft red winter wheat cultivars, Bess and NC-Neuse, have moderate resistance to FHB. The objective of this study was to validate genomic regions associated with FHB resistance identified in previous studies involving NC-Neuse and the cultivar Truman, a sister line of Bess. A total of 98 lines derived from the cross Bess × NC-Neuse were evaluated in inoculated, mist-irrigated field nurseries. The lines were evaluated for disease incidence, severity, Fusarium-damaged kernels, and deoxynivalenol content in seven environments between 2011 and 2014. A map of the wheat chromosomes was developed based on 4014 DNA markers. Twelve regions were identified as having genes associated with FHB resistance. Genes from NC-Neuse provided resistance at QTL on five chromosomes and genes from Bess provided resistance at regions on five other chromosomes. Alignment of linkage maps revealed that five of these resistance regions were overlapping with previously identified regions. A preliminary test using Kompetitive Allele-Specific DNA assays on recent Uniform Southern Winter Wheat Scab Nursery entries showed that the assays developed for Qfhb.nc-2B.1 region on wheat chromosome 2B may be good candidates for use in marker-assisted development of wheat cultivars with improved FHB resistance.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB), primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [telemorph: Gibberella zeae Schw. (Petch)], can significantly reduce the grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) due to mycotoxin contamination. Two US soft red winter wheat cultivars, Bess and NC-Neuse, have moderate resistance to FHB. The objective of this study was to validate genomic regions associated with FHB resistance identified in previous studies involving NC-Neuse and the cultivar Truman, a full-sib of Bess. A total of 98 doubled haploid lines derived from the cross Bess × NC-Neuse were evaluated in inoculated, mist-irrigated field nurseries. The lines were evaluated for FHB incidence, severity, Fusarium-damaged kernels, and deoxynivalenol content in seven environments between 2011 and 2014. A 3338-cM linkage map was developed based on 4014 simple sequence repeat and single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Twelve quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with FHB resistance were identified. NC-Neuse alleles provided resistance at QTL on five chromosomes and Bess alleles provided resistance at QTL on five other chromosomes. Alignment of linkage maps revealed that five of these QTL were overlapping with previously identified regions. Quantitative trait loci on chromosomes 1A, 4A, and 6A identified in this study overlapped with QTL regions identified in NC-Neuse, and QTL identified on chromosomes 2B and 3B overlapped with QTL regions identified in Truman. A preliminary test using Kompetitive Allele-Specific polymerase chain reaction assays on recent Uniform Southern Winter Wheat Scab Nursery entries showed that the assays developed for Qfhb.nc-2B.1 may be good candidates for use in marker-assisted selection.