Quantitative Trait Loci for Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in U.S. Hard Winter Wheat Cultivar Heyne

Abstract

Fusarium head blight (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe, is a destructive disease that can significantly reduce grain yield and quality. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FHB type II resistance have been identified in many Chinese cultivars and other sources but have not been reported in U.S. hard winter wheat (HWW) {Triticum aestivum L.) to date. 'Heyne' is a Kansas HWW with moderate type II resistance to FHB. In this study, recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from 'Trego' x Heyne were evaluated for FHB resistance by single-floret inoculation in two field and three greenhouse experiments from 2009 to 2011. Percentage of symptomatic spikelets (PSS) In an inoculated spike was scored 18 d (in the greenhouse) and 21 d (in the field) postinoculation. A total of 209 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were used to screen the RILs. Three major QTL on chromosomes 3AS, 4DL, and 4AL were associated with FHB resistance. The QTL on 3AS was flanked by Xgwm5 and Xwmo428 and explained up to 17.9% of phenotypic variation. Another QTL on 4DL near Xwmc720 explained 13.8 to 23.4% of phenotypic variation. The third QTL on 4AL was flanked by Xwmc219 and Xgivm760 and explained up to 18.1% of the phenotypic variation. Heyne contributed all resistance alleies of three QTL, and these QTL were designated as Qfhb.hwwg-3AS, Qfhb.hwwg-4DL, and Qfhb.hwwg-4AL. These QTL can be used for improving FHB resistance In U.S. HWW by pyramiding them with Fhb1 or other major resistance QTL from Asian sources. Abbreviations: DH, doubled haploid; DON, deoxynivalenol; FDK, Fusarium damaged kernels; FHB, Fusarium head blight; HWW, hard winter wheat; LOD, logarithm of odds; MAS, marker-assisted selection; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PSS, percentage of symptomatic spikelets; QTL, quantitative trait locus/loci; RIL, recombinant inbred line; SSR, simple sequence repeat. F USARIUM HEAD BLIGHT (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [telomorph = Gibberella zeae (Schw.)Petch], is one of the most destructive wheat {Triticum aestivum L.) diseases in warm and humid regions and seriously threatens wheat production worldwide (Bai and Shaner, 2004). Fusarium head blight causes premature plant death or blighting of infected spikes, which usually reduces grain yield and quality substantially (Bai and Shaner, 1994). Infected grain contaminated with mycotoxins is potentially harmful to human and animal health and therefore a safety concern in food or feed (Desjardins and Hohn, 1997). The most common toxin associated with FHB is deoxynivalenol (DON), and wheat grain contaminated with the toxin can significantly lower grain price (Wu, 2007).

QTL mapping of Fusarium head blight resistance in three related durum wheat populations

“…Gladysz et al (2007) identified a QTL for type 2 resistance derived from the resistant T. dicoccoides accession Mt.Hermon#22 near Xgwm610 which mapped on the short arm of chromosome 4A, while Buerstmayr et al (2012) found a small effect QTL for FHB severity derived from T.dicoccum -line 161 in a cross with line DS-131621 near Xgwm356 on 6AL. Meanwhile, several mapping projects performed in hexaploid wheat identified QTL in the same region of 4AL in the US winter wheat Heyne (Zhang et al 2012) and in the Swiss winter wheat Arina (Paillard et al 2004; Buerstmayr and Buerstmayr 2015). No coinciding QTL for flowering date or plant height were reported, but an overlap with QTL for anther retention was found in the Arina/Capo population (Buerstmayr and Buerstmayr, 2015).…”

A High-Density SNP and SSR Consensus Map Reveals Segregation Distortion Regions in Wheat

“…In the Heyne × Lakin population, as expected, fewer polymorphic markers (2071 SNPs and 170 SSRs) were mapped than for the Ning7840 × Clark population because Heyne and Lakin have a closer genetic relationship and were released from breeding programs in Kansas. Heyne and Lakin are both hard white winter wheat and differ in resistance to leaf, stem, and stripe rusts and to wheat spindle streak virus, speckled leaf blotch, tan spot, powdery mildew, and Fusarium head blight, with resistance genes mainly from Heyne ( http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/l922.pdf ) [ 25 , 34 ]. Lakin has good noodle quality with a low level of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which is a very important end-use quality trait for noodle production.…”

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in U.S. Winter Wheat Cultivars and Elite Breeding Lines

“…Leaf tissue was collected at the two‐leaf stage, and genomic DNA was isolated using a cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) method (Zhang et al, 2012). A sequence tagged site marker, Xumn10, was used to identify whether the Fhb1 resistance allele was present (Liu et al, 2008), and a single nucleotide polymorphism marker for Fhb1 , Xsnp3BS‐8, was analyzed to verify Fhb1 resistance allele (Bernardo et al, 2012).…”

“…Initial evaluation of some HWW identified several cultivars, including ‘Heyne’ and ‘Hondo’, with FHB resistance. QTLs in these cultivars may be different from those in Asian sources (Zhang et al, 2012). Combining U.S. native resistance genes with the resistance alleles at major QTLs from Asian sources may diversify the FHB resistance gene pool and significantly enhance FHB resistance levels in U.S. wheat.…”