ARS | Publication request: Transgenic resistance to Fusarium head blight in barley

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 12, 2011
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) and its mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) have been a major problem in the primary malting barley growing regions in North America since 1993. Resistance to FHB and DON accumulation in barley is quantitative, with no immunity available in the primary or secondary gene pools. Our objective was to develop and test transgenic lines expressing candidate genes that may improve resistance and/or lower DON. The first experiments with FsTri101 and PDR5 showed these genes were not effective in the field at reducing FHB or DON. Similar results were obtained with lines expressing a chitinase and/or a thaumatin-like protein. More recently, two transgenic lines, expressing either a thaumatin-like protein or a trichothecene transporter gene, have shown reduced DON in five years of field trials. Further molecular characterization of these lines is underway along with crossing the transgenes into lines with partial resistance developed by barley breeders using traditional methods.