Location: Sunflower and Plant Biology Research
Project Number: 3060-21000-043-003-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2014
End Date: Jul 31, 2019
Objective:
The goal of this project is twofold: (1) to find new sources of Sclerotinia head rot resistance in cultivated sunflower germplasm; (2) and to transfer Sclerotinia head rot resistance by conventional breeding and marker–assisted selection (MAS) into elite USDA sunflower germplasm for release to the public. Specially, the project will (1) evaluate new cultivated sunflower accessions of USDA germplasm for resistance to head rot; (2) cross new sources of Sclerotinia resistance into elite oilseed and confection USDA germplasm.
Approach:
To increase the genetic diversity of Sclerotinia resistance within the USDA breeding program, we will evaluate the newest USDA germplasm for Sclerotinia head rot resistance. This evaluation needs to be done at research sites having irrigation facilities and NDSU CREC is one of the closest sites. Once new sources of head rot resistance are identified, we will determine with the aid of MAS whether these contain new genes. Once resistance sources are identified, they will be crossed into either elite oilseed or confection lines.
