Genetic mapping of resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Soft Red Winter Wheat Line NC13-20076

Authors: Winn, Zachary; ACHARYA, ROSHAN - North Carolina State University; WARD, BRIAN - Forage Genetics International; GRIFFEY, CARL - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University; FITZGERALD, JOSHUA - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University; DONG, YANHONG - University Of Minnesota; Cowger, Christina; MURPHY, JOSEPH PAUL - North Carolina State University; Brown Guedira, Gina

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2025
Publication Date: 4/6/2025
Citation: Winn, Z.J., Acharya, R., Ward, B., Griffey, C., Fitzgerald, J., Dong, Y., Cowger, C., Murphy, J., Brown Guedira, G.L. 2025. Genetic mapping of resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Soft Red Winter Wheat Line NC13-20076. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70022.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70022

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium head blight, also referred to as head scab, is a major disease in wheat that threatens grower profitability, domestic food security, and public health and safety. Scab reduces wheat yields and results in the production of dangerous mycotoxins, which are molecules produced by fungi that are toxic when consumed. Cultural control (fungicidal sprays and rotation practices) can reduce the impact of scab, but they do not provide reliable year-to-year control of the disease. The most economically and environmentally efficient way to reduce the impact of scab is by breeding wheat which is genetically resistant to the disease. The genetic structure of resistance to scab in wheat is highly complex and is the result of many small effect genes working together to produce the observed resistance. In this publication, we created a designed wheat population to locate regions of the wheat genome that are associated with resistance to scab. We found, like many other publications of the same ilk, that the resistance in this population is due to many small effect genes working together. This information supports the use of the resistant parent from this experimental population (NC13-20076) as a potential source of domestic genetic resistance to scab. We submitted seed of NC13-20076 to the USDA-ARS National Small Grains Collection with the intention that any wheat breeder in the United States or otherwise who reads this publication may request this seed for use in their own programs crossing blocks.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) infection causes yield loss, quality degradation, and the production of damaging mycotoxins in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L). Marker analysis suggest that ‘NC13-20076’ does not possess previously identified FHB resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) screened for in eastern winter wheat germplasm. A doubled haploid population of 168 lines from the cross of ‘GA06493-13LE6’ and ‘NC13-20076’ was phenotyped in inoculated nurseries in six environments. Heading date, plant height, and visual ratings of Fusarium damage on heads were recorded in the field; percent Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK) and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation were recorded post-harvest. Interval and multiple QTL mapping were performed on each environment-by-trait combination. Plant height and heading date QTL were identified on chromosomes 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7B and peak markers were used as covariates in mapping of disease response traits. Disease response QTL were identified on chromosomes 1A, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 5A, 7A, and 7D. The largest percent variance (PV) QTL identified for FHB visual ratings (10.8%) and DON accumulation (10.1%) were found on chromosome 5A (QFvr.nc-5A, QDon.nc-5A). The largest PV (10.3%) QTL identified for FDK was found on 1A (QFdk.nc-1A). Disease response QTL for multi-environment scans of visual ratings, FDK, and DON accumulation accounted for 53.2%, 64.4%, and 62.2% of the total variance, respectively. The present results indicate that ‘NC13-20076’ contains several FHB response QTL which overlap with previously identified QTL and demonstrate the importance of ‘NC13-20076’ as a readily accessible source of FHB resistance.