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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 #361290
Research Project: Genetic Improvement of Biotic and Abiotic Stress Tolerance and Nutritional Quality in Hard Winter Wheat

Location: Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research

Title: Genetic identification of loci for Hessian fly resistance in Durum wheat

Author
item BASSI, FM - International Center For Agricultural Research(ICARDA)
item BRAHMI, H - Mohammed V University
item SABRAOUI, A - International Center For Agricultural Research(ICARDA)
item AMRI, A - International Center For Agricultural Research(ICARDA)
item NSARELLAH, N - National Institute Of Agronomic Research Of Morocco (INRA)
item NACHIT, MM - International Center For Agricultural Research(ICARDA)
item AL-ABDALLAT, A - University Of Jordan
item Chen, Ming-Shun
item LAZRAQ, A - Mohammed V University
item EL BOUHSSINI, M - International Center For Agricultural Research(ICARDA)

Submitted to: Molecular Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/3/2019
Publication Date: 1/8/2019
Citation: Bassi, F., Brahmi, H., Sabraoui, A., Amri, A., Nsarellah, N., Nachit, M., Al-Abdallat, A., Chen, M., Lazraq, A., El Bouhssini, M. 2019. Genetic identification of loci for Hessian fly resistance in Durum wheat. Molecular Breeding. 39:24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-019-0927-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-019-0927-1

Interpretive Summary: Hessian fly is a major pest of wheat in both America and North Africa. This destructive insect has been mainly controlled by breeding and deploying resistant wheat cultivars. Unfortunately, Hessian fly populations typically overcome resistant varieties within a few years after release. To make the host resistance strategy sustainable, new sources of resistance need to be identified and developed continuously. This study identified three new resistance genes from durum wheat. In addition, molecular markers linked to the genes were identified. The availability of the newly identified resistance genes and markers can be used for marker-assisted breeding of new cultivars with improved resistance to Hessian fly.

Technical Abstract: Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is a major crop of North Africa. Here, its production is affected by Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor, HF) epidemics. Genetic resistance against this pest exist, but its molecular basis remains unclear. Here, a panel of 159 modern durum lines were exposed to the Moroccan HF biotype. Association mapping studies revealed three major loci conferring resistance. QH.icd-2A was identified at LOD of 24.1 on the telomeric end of 2AL, and it is believed to represent a novel locus derived from T. dicoccum. QH.icd-5B was identified on 5BS at LOD of 9.5, and it appears as overlapping with H31. QHara.icd-6B was identified at LOD of 54.5. This locus confers resistance to five Moroccan released cultivars, including ‘Faraj’. A mapping population (MP) was obtained by crossing ‘Faraj’ and a HF-susceptible cultivar ‘Gidara2’. Challenging this MP with the Moroccan and Great Plains HF biotypes revealed 1:1 segregation ratio fitting of a single gene. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis confirmed a single locus at LOD of 35 and 25 for the two biotypes, respectively, corresponding to QHara.icd-6B. This locus spans a 7.7 cM interval, and it is derived via introgression from a resistant T. araraticum. One KASP marker (BS00072387) was validated for use in breeding on a separate set of elite lines, to show r2 of 0.65 and accuracy of 0.98. Finally, field testing across sites did not identify any yield drag for QHara.icd-6B. The work presented here provides ideal tools to incorporate HF-resistant loci in durum cultivars via marker-assisted breeding.