Development and characterization of international maize and wheat improvement center (CIMMYT) germplasm for Fusarium head blight resistance

Abstract

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) also known as head scab, is an important fungal disease of wheat worldwide. The disease causes yield loss, low test weights, low seed germination and contamination of grains with mycotoxins which makes it unfit for human and animal consumption. Breeding for FHB resistant cultivars is the most effective, economical and environmentally friendly means to combat this grave disease. The FHB research began at International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in early 1980s, since then CIMMYT has initiated various breeding activities for development of FHB resistant germplasm including large scale FHB screening of the promising breeding lines, genetic resources, and crosses have been made between parents with complimentary disease resistance and agronomic traits. At CIMMYT, automated programmable misting system and precision CO 2 spraying for liquid inoculums application allow the systematic, accurate and detailed screening of large sets of germplasm for Type I and Type II resistance. DON contamination is assayed in the laboratory for promising lines. Furthermore, a haplotyping system has also been established to diagnose well known QTL for FHB resistance. Promising lines with good FHB resistance are compiled as Fusarium Head Blight Screening Nursery (FHBSN) regularly and distributed worldwide. Selections for FHBSN are made based on FHB disease scores, phenological traits like days to heading and height, haplotyping, and pedigree information.