Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
Genomics-Assisted Breeding for Fusarium
Head Blight Resistance in Wheat
HermannBuerstmayr,MariaBuerstmayr,WolfgangSchweiger,and BarbaraSteiner
Abstract
Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and other small-grain cereals is a devastating plant disease
in many parts of the world. The cultivation of resistant varieties plays a key role in integrated
management of this disease. FHB resistance in wheat is a truly quantitative trait, governed by polygenes
and modulated by the environment. Breeding productive cultivars with superior FHB resistance is
therefore not trivial and requires significant investments. In the past decade, numerous studies have
been performed to decipher the inheritance of FHB resistance in wheat. Quantitative trait loci (QTL)
for FHB resistance have been discovered at all wheat chromosomes. Genomics-assisted breeding for
improvement of FHB resistance has been implemented in several breeding programs. Marker-assisted
selection for relatively large-effect QTL was an effective approach to introgress known QTL into
regionally adapted germplasm. Recent advances in genome-wide selection offer great promise to
select for even small-effect QTL in breeding populations. In this chapter we summarize and discuss
results obtained in marker-assisted breeding experiments for improvement of FHB resistance in
hexaploid and tetraploid wheat.
as the most relevant species, depending on cul-
tural practices and climatic conditions (Parry
et al. 1995). FHB can lead to yield losses due
to reduced kernel set and kernel weight and
quality losses due to reduced seed and baking
qualities. The major problem associated with
FHB is contamination of the harvest with fungal
secondary metabolites knows as mycotoxins. In
order to protect consumers from mycotoxico-
sis, numerous countries have established maxi-
mum allowed levels for the most prevalent Fusar-
ium mycotoxins in cereals and cereal products
Introduction
Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as
Fusarium ear blight (FEB) of wheat, has been
first described more than a century ago by W.G.
Smith in England (cited by Arthur 1891). A
complex of several Fusarium species have been
associated with the disease.
Fusarium gramin-
earum
(Schwabe) Group 2 [teleomorph,
Gib-
berella zeae
(Schw.) Petch],
F. culmorum
(Wm.
G. Smith) Sacc. and
F. avenaceum
(Corda ex Fr.)
Sacc. [teleomorph
G. avenacea
(Cook)] appear
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