Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research
Project Number: 2050-21000-038-033-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2026
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
Develop, characterize, and deploy stripe rust and BYDV resistance identified from cultivated and wild barley germplasm to support barley improvement and variety development by: 1) developing and evaluating biparental or multi-parental populations derived from resistant wild barley accessions; 2) conducting disease and agronomic evaluations of breeding populations and advanced breeding lines in California environments; 3) identifying promising germplasm for advancement, collaborative breeding, and potential co-release.
Approach:
We will develop and evaluate barley populations segregating for stripe rust and BYDV resistance identified from wild barley accessions. Resistant wild barley accessions will be selected based on disease evaluation data generated collected during the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 growing seasons. Population development activities may include biparental or multi-parental crossing designs, seed increase, early-generation advancement, and field phenotyping. Approximately 3–10 biparental or multi-parental populations may be developed depending on the resistance sources identified. Population sizes may range from 150–250 progenies per family for phenotyping and genetic analysis. Initial population development and preliminary evaluations are expected to be completed within approximately two years.
Disease evaluations will be conducted under California field conditions using standard phenotyping procedures for barley stripe rust and BYDV. Susceptible spreaders and artificial inoculation may be used when appropriate to facilitate disease development. Disease severity, heading date, plant height, lodging, and general agronomic adaptation will be recorded. Additional diseases present in the nurseries may also be noted. The materials may be evaluated using replicated complete block or augmented experimental designs depending on seed availability and population size.
Breeding materials and experimental lines (~50 entries) will be shared provided by Dr. Gongshe Hu at ARS Aberdeen, ID. The materials will initially be evaluated in duplicated head rows for seed increase and preliminary agronomic assessment during the 2026–2027 growing season. Promising entries will be advanced into preliminary yield trials during the 2027–2028 growing season. Agronomic performance, disease resistance, adaptation, heading date, lodging, and yield performance will be evaluated under California environments.
Agronomic and disease evaluation data generated through the collaboration will be shared among participating groups. Promising germplasm may be considered for collaborative advancement and potential co-release, subject to institutional policies and mutual agreement among collaborators. The project aims to support the development of adapted barley germplasm with improved stripe rust and BYDV resistance for western U.S. production environments.
When sufficient data are generated, results will be presented at scientific meetings and submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.