Objective:
To continue to use traditional breeding techniques, aided by molecular marker selection (MAS), to develop and release FHB-resistant hard winter wheat varieties and germplasm with superior agonomic performance and end-use quality characteristics, excellent winter survival ability, and resistance to disease prevalent in South Dakota and the northern Great Plains.

Approach:
1) Use elite, FHB-resistant germplasm with tagged QTLs, in addition to indigenous native resistant sources, in developing populations segregating for FHB resistance and desirable agronomic traits; 2) Screen segregating populations, advanced lines, and established varieties in our mist-irrigated nursery and greenhouse for the purpose of line advancement and releasing and providing growers with accurate FHB ratings on commonly grown varieties; 3) Use molecular marker selection as a complementary tool to select FHB-resistant lines; and 4) Enter promising resistant lines into regional nurseries to facilitate development of varieties with broad adaptation in collaboration with the University of Nebraska and Kansas State University.