Fumonisin is a group of homologous mycotoxins produced by several species of Fusarium. Fumonisin has been associated with Fusarium ear and kernel rot of corn (Zea mays) and several toxicoses of animals and humans. Corn inbreds with a high level of resistance to fumonisin production and accumulation in grain have not been identified. The objective of this study was to evaluate a genetically diverse collection of inbreds as potential sources of resistance to fumonisin production and accumulation in grain and Fusarium ear and kernel rot when crossed with a commercial "B73-type" line. F(1) hybrids developed with the inbred FR1064 and 1,589 and 1,030 inbreds were evaluated in inoculated and naturally infected trials, respectively, in 2000. Thirty-five F(1) hybrids with fumonisin concentration in grain of

Summary Competition between winter‐sown wheat and Viola arvensis Murray or Papaver rhoeas L. was studied in two experiments in two successive years. The effects of varying crop and weed density were modelled in terms of weed biomass over time, weed seed production and crop yield. Biomass model parameters, representing maximum weed biomass and intra‐ and interspecific competition, were obtained for different assessment dates, enabling biomass levels to be predicted during the two growing seasons. Weed biomass declined, and its maximum level was reached earlier, with increasing crop density. Intraspecific competition was higher in the absence than in the presence of crop, increasing with time and with weed density. Halving the wheat population increased June biomass of V. arvensis by 74% and of P. rhoeas by 63%. Crop yield losses with increasing weed density were greater with low than with medium and high crop populations. P. rhoeas was significantly more competitive than V. arvensis in both years. Weed biomass in 1989 responded more to reductions in crop density following the milder winter of 1988/89 than in the previous year; however crop yields were less affected in 1989 due to summer drought, restricting late weed growth and competition. Weed seed production was related to weed biomass; the progressive lowering of crop density increased seed production, and both species were very prolific in the absence of crop. By combining models, seed production could be derived for a given competitive effect on the crop. Threshold weed populations, based on low weed levels that are not economic to control, could then be equated with the accompanying weed seed production.

The susceptible parent FR1141, the resistant parent 061, the F1 cross, and 301 families selfed once from backcrosses to the susceptible parent were evaluated for gray leaf spot (GLS) severity for two years in Urbana, IL, and one year in Andrews, NC. Linkage between ear height and GLS severity was suspected. Therefore, plant height characteristics were noted for two years in Urbana, IL. Eighty-six polymorphic probes were used to construct a random fragment length polymorphism linkage map, and the presence, locations, effects, and interactions of quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with GLS, plant and ear height were determined. Five QTL were significantly associated with GLS resistance across all environments and rating periods. These five regions are associated with additive effects on phenotype and account for between 51.0 and 58.7% of the phenotypic variation associated with GLS severity. Additionally, six QTL were identified with maturity-dependent associations to GLS severity. Heritability of GLS resistance was estimated to be approximately 0.73. Four QTL were identified with associations to ear height relative to total plant height. One of the four was associated with higher ear height and GLS resistance.

Fumonisins have been associated with potentially serious toxicoses of animals and humans. Prior to initiating a corn (Zea mays) breeding program for resistance to these mycotoxins, an efficient inoculation technique must be developed. Four inoculation techniques were evaluated on 14 commercial corn hybrids in Urbana, IL in 1999 and 2000. The techniques were: injection of inoculum through the ear husk leaves at R2 (blister); silks sprayed with inoculum at R2 and covered with a shoot bag until harvest; silks sprayed with inoculum at R2, covered with a shoot bag, reinoculated 1 week thereafter, and covered with a shoot bag until harvest; and insertion of six Fusarium-colonized toothpicks into the silk channel at R2. Only injection of inoculum through the husk leaves significantly increased the concentration of fumonisin in grain and severity of Fusarium ear rot compared with a control. This technique effectively differentiated hybrids previously identified as resistant or susceptible to Fusarium ear rot. The rank order of hybrids inoculated with this technique did not significantly change in the 2 years of this study. This technique is suitable for efficiently evaluating a large number of corn genotypes for resistance to Fusarium ear rot and fumonisin concentration.

corn (Cawood et al.