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ARS Home » Crop Production and Protection » Research » Research Project #449844

Research Project: Accelerating Genetic Gain for Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Southern Soft Wheat

Location: Crop Production and Protection

Project Number: 0500-00053-005-184-G
Project Type: Grant

Start Date: May 1, 2026
End Date: Apr 30, 2030

Objective:
The overall objective is to increase wheat productivity in North Carolina and the southeastern United States by strategically stacking durable resistance genes to combat evolving Fusarium head blight populations, while enhancing adaptation to variable and often stressful production environments.

Approach:
This project will support regional evaluation and advancement of FHB-resistant germplasm while strengthening genomic selection, bioinformatics, and collaborative breeding efforts. It aims to deliver highyielding FHB-resistant cultivars by integrating collaborative breeding, predictive analytics, and accelerated line development, while continuously improving breeding strategies and efficiency.