Approaching 25 years of progress toward Fusarium head blight resistance in southern soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L)

Authors: BOYLES, RICHARD - Clemson University; DEWITT, NOAH - Louisiana State University; WINN, ZACHARY - Colorado State University; MURPHY, PAUL - North Carolina State University; Cowger, Christina; Costa, Jose; SARIPALLI, GAUTAM - University Of Maryland; TIWARI, VIJAY - University Of Maryland; BALLEN-TABORDA, CAROLINA - Clemson University; LYERLY, JEANETTE - North Carolina State University; MERGOUM, MOHAMED - University Of Georgia; Brown-Guedira, Gina; SANTANTONIO, NICHOLAS - Virginia Tech; JOHNSON, JERRY - University Of Georgia; MASON, RICHARD ESTEN - Colorado State University; SUTTON, RUSSELL - Texas A&M University; IBRAHIM, AMIR - Texas A&M University; HARRISON, STEPHEN - Louisiana State University; GRIFFEY, CARL - Virginia Tech; MARSHALL, DAVID - Retired ARS Employee; VAN SANFORD, DAVID - University Of Kentucky

Submitted to: Plant Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2023
Publication Date: 1/25/2024
Citation: Boyles, R., Dewitt, N., Winn, Z., Murphy, P., Cowger, C., Costa, J., Saripalli, G., Tiwari, V., Ballen-Taborda, C., Lyerly, J., Mergoum, M., Brown Guedira, G.L., Santantonio, N., Johnson, J., Mason, R., Sutton, R., Ibrahim, A., Harrison, S., Griffey, C., Marshall, D., Van Sanford, D. 2024. Approaching 25 years of progress toward Fusarium head blight resistance in southern soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L). Plant Breeding. 143(1):66-81. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbr.13137.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pbr.13137

Interpretive Summary: Great progress has been made in breeding wheat varieties that are resistant to Fusarium head blight (FHB) since the disease first caused major damage in the southeastern USA in the early 2000s. Much of this improvement was made possible by support from the US Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI). Since its launch in 1997, the USWBSI has helped land-grant universities reduce the threat of destructive FHB epidemics. A coordinated field nursery effort to annually screen experimental wheat lines for FHB resistance is key to making selections in public and private soft red winter wheat (SRWW) breeding programs. Also, SRWW breeders have continuously identified and used resistance genes from both native and exotic sources. Recently, the use of genomics in breeding has further accelerated genetic gains in FHB resistance. This article covers the improvement of FHB resistance in southern SRWW.

Technical Abstract: Tremendous progress has been made in variety development and host plant resistance to mitigate the impact of Fusarium head blight (FHB) since the disease manifested in the southeastern United States in the early 2000s. Much of this improvement was made possible through the establishment of and recurring support from the US Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI). Since its inception in 1997, the USWBSI has enabled land-grant institutions to make advances in reducing the annual threat of devastating FHB epidemics. A coordinated field phenotyping effort for annual germplasm screening has become a staple tool for selection in public and private soft red winter wheat (SRWW) breeding programmes. Dedicated efforts of many SRWW breeders to identify and utilize resistance genes from both native and exotic sources provided a strong foundation for improvement. In recent years, implementation of genomics-enabled breeding has further accelerated genetic gains in FHB resistance. This article reflects on the improvement of FHB resistance in southern SRWW and contextualizes the monumental progress made by collaborative, persistent, and good old-fashioned cultivar development.