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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #91215
Title: BREEDING FOR RESISTANCE TO HEAD BLIGHT OF WHEAT IN CHINA

Author
item Bai, Guihua
item CHEN, LI-FENG - NANJING AG UNIV, CHINA
item SHANER, GREGORY - PURDUE UNIV, WLAFAYETTE

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Press
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/27/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Head blight of wheat, caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum, occurs in seven million hectares of wheat field in China, and causes 10-40% of yield loss. The fungus also produces mycotoxins in contaminated grain which are toxic to humans and animals. Growing resistant cultivars is the best way to control scab epidemics. Significant progress has been made in research on genetics of resistance and in breeding resistant wheat cultivars in China during the past 40 years. Many highly resistant wheat cultivars and land races have been identified. Of them, Sumai 3 has highest resistance to spread of scab in a spike and was used as a resistant parent in breeding programs worldwide. Two major approaches to improve scab resistance are transferring resistance genes from resistant cultivars to elite wheat lines and combining resistance genes from different cultivars with moderate resistance or moderate susceptibility. Other approaches include recurrent selection and selection from natural and mutation-induced variants. Evaluating breeding materials for scab resistance in multiple locations under consistent disease pressure is critical for separating resistant from susceptible wheat genotypes. Pedigree analysis indicates that most improved resistant cultivars from China can be related to Italian cultivars Funo and Mentana. To enhance genetic diversity, attention should be paid to those resistance genes from land races and alien species.