Variation for resistance to Fusarium head blight in spring barley

• Published in: Euphytica 2004-06, Vol.137 (3), p.279-290
• Main Authors: Buerstmayr, H, Legzdina, L, Steiner, B, Lemmens, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: agronomic traits; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Barley; Biological and medical sciences; Crop diseases; Cultivars; disease resistance; Field tests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal diseases of plants; Fusarium; Fusarium graminearum; Generalities. Genetics. Plant material; Genetic diversity; Genetic resources, diversity; Genetics; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Gibberella zeae; Harvesting; Hordeum vulgare; lines; microbial contamination; Mycotoxins; Pest resistance; Plant material; plant pathogenic fungi; Plant pathogens; scab diseases; Spring; symptoms; trichothecenes; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Wheat
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1023/B:EUPH.0000040440.99352.b9

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a fungal disease of barley and other cereals, causing substantial yield and quality losses, mainly due to the contamination of the harvest with mycotoxins. We aimed to evaluate genetic variation for resistance to FHB and its association with other plant characters in diverse barley germplasm in order to identify useful lines for resistance breeding. The 143 barley lines consisted of 88 current European spring barley lines and cultivars, 33 accessions from the genebank at IPK Gatersleben, and 22 lines obtained from North American institutions. We conducted artificially inoculated field experiments with Fusarium graminearum Schwabe during two seasons. FHB severity was evaluated by repeated assessment of visual symptoms. On a set of 49 lines several trichothecene mycotoxins were analyzed. Variation for FHB severity was quantitative. The lines with lowest FHB severity were 'CIho 4196' and 'PI 566203'. Also within the European spring barley collection variation for FHB severity was highly significant. There was a significant negative correlation between plant height and FHB severity (r=- 0.55). FHB severity assessed in the field and the amount of deoxynivalenol in the harvested grains were positively correlated (r= 0.87). Several lines with a useful level of FHB resistance were found or confirmed and are recommended as crossing partners.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]