Objective:
1) Continue operations involved with the development and release of scab resistant and agronomically acceptable spring wheat varieties and germplasm sources that are regionally adapted; 2) Participate with Uniform Regional Scab Nursery (URSN) germplasm screening efforts; 3) Increase DON testing and our use of marker assisted selection as a complementary selection tools; and 4) Provide growers with accurate scab resistance ratings for commonly grown varieties.

Approach:
Objective 1: approximately 9,000 hills will be tested in our greenhouse and a larger number of plots may be accommodated in our mist-irrigated field nursery. Disease incidence, severity, and index values for all enteries will be collected in each screening environment. This allows for selection of the most resistant materials to be perpetuated within the program, used as parents, etc. Objective 2: this will be accomplished through testing the 2008 version of the URSN for resistant spring wheat germplasm. Disease incidence, severity, and index values for all entries will be collected from this test, along with yield, test weight, and estimates of Fusarium Damaged Kernel (FDK) percentages from the mist-irrigated field screening environment. Objective 3: will be addressed by submitting both Preliminary and Advanced Trial entries for DON testing. Additionally, the Fhbl QTL will be backcrossed into five advanced breeding lines using marker-assisted selection. Each of these lines holds promise for release as a variety and will serve as parents in our crossing endeavors. Objective 4: will be addressed by conducting scab resistance and agronmic performance trials where varieties which are common to the region are tested simultaneously. Results from these trials will be made available through inclusion in existing extension publications.