New source of resistance to fusarium head blight: Wheat - thinopyrum derivatives

• Start date: January, 2022
• Project Length: 3 Years
• Project Status: In Progress

Background

The E genome of Thinopyrum species has been an important source of several wheat disease resistance genes including stem rust, stripe rust, and Fuarium head blight. The use of Thynopyrum related as a source of FHB disease resistance has not been widely explored in Canadian breeding programs. Here we propose to screen an intergeneric Wheat - Thinopyrum popoulation previously developed by our group, which represents a unique opportunity to explore and introgress new sources of FHB resistance into locally adapated germplasm. The outcome of this work will ultimately be new breeding lines with novel sources of durable resistance, which combined with those already present in commercial cultivars, will reduce the negative effects caused by the pathogen.

The new source of Fusarium resistance (not yet tapped by local breeders), combined with the resistance already present in commercial cultivars, could reduce the impact of more aggressive F. graminearum chemotypes on grain yield and quality losses, as well as mycotoxin levels in the grain, thereby improving food and feed safety.

Manitoba Crop Alliance Funding:

$5,750

Total Funding Approved:

$224,886

Funding Partners:

ADF, AWC, SWDC, WGRF