Characterization of new sources of fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance and introgress it in to Saskatchewan elite wheat cultivars

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Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major crop in Canada grown over 10 million hectares with a total production of 27.5 to 29.2 million tonnes during the last three years (Anonymous 2016). Globally Canada is the sixth major producer and third major exporter (20 million tons worth $6.5 billion) of wheat during 2013. Wheat is a major contributor to Canadian agricultural economy and food production. Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the major diseases of wheat and other cereals. In Western Canada over the last decade, FHB has been gradually progressing from east to west. In Saskatchewan, Fusarium spp. infected grains harvested during 2014 were two times or more than those in 2013. Fusarium infection not only disrupts seed development and lowers yield but also makes the grain unfit for human consumption by contaminating grains with fungal toxins. The devastating effects of FHB persists through every stage of the wheat value chain from production, trade, food, feed, processing, domestic and international trade. Therefore, increasing FHB progression over the years in Canada is a matter of great concern to grain producers, scientists and government. Improving crop management practices, and strengthening host resistance, are the two major strategies to control wheat FHB infection. The proposed project focuses on developing FHB resistant wheat germplasm to combat FHB infection. A novel laboratory based method has been developed to create genetic variation and screen wheat genotypes for FHB resistance. The method has been used to identify FHB resistant wheat lines and characterize genes conferring the FHB resistance. DNA markers have been developed for FHB resistant genes in wheat. The FHB resistant lines will be crossed with elite Canadian wheat cultivars to develop FHB resistant wheat cultivars adapted to Canadian conditions. DNA markers will be used in a marker assisted selection approach to develop FHB cultivars in an accelerated time schedule. Successful completion of this project will result in FHB wheat cultivars that can combat FHB infection in an environmentally friendly manner.