A spontaneous segmental deletion from chromosome arm 3DL enhances Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat

Much effort has been directed at identifying sources of resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat. We sought to identify molecular markers for what we hypothesized was a new major FHB resistance locus originating from the wheat cultivar ‘Freedom’ and introgressed into the susceptible wheat cultivar ‘USU-Apogee’. An F2:3 mapping population from a cross between Apogee and A30, its BC4 near-isoline exhibiting improved FHB resistance, was evaluated for resistance. The distribution of FHB resistance in the population approximated a 1:3 moderately resistant : moderately susceptible + susceptible ratio. Separate disease evaluations established that A30 accumulated less deoxynivalenol and yielded a greater proportion of sound grain than Apogee. Molecular mapping revealed that the FHB resistance of A30 is associated with molecular markers on chromosome arm 3DL that exhibit a null phenotype in A30 but are present in both Apogee and Freedom, indicating a spontaneous deletion occurred during the development of A30. Aneuploid analysis revealed that the size of the deleted segment is approximately 19% of the arm’s length. Our results suggest that the deleted interval of chromosome arm 3DL in Apogee may harbor FHB susceptibility genes that promote disease spread in infected spikes, and that their elimination increases FHB resistance in a novel manner.

Download Full-text

Molecular Mapping of QTLs Conferring Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Chinese Wheat Cultivar Jingzhou 66

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9081021 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 1021

Author(s):

Qing Xu ◽

Fuchao Xu ◽

Dandan Qin ◽

Meifang Li ◽

George Fedak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Molecular Mapping ◽

Wheat Cultivar ◽

Phenotypic Variance ◽

Head Blight ◽

Dh Population ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Chinese Wheat Cultivar ◽

Chinese Wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which not only significantly reduces grain yield, but also affects end-use quality. Breeding wheat cultivars with high FHB resistance is the most effective way to control the disease. The Chinese wheat cultivar Jingzhou 66 (JZ66) shows moderately high FHB resistance; however, the genetic basis of its resistance is unknown. A doubled haploid (DH) population consisting 209 lines was developed from a cross of JZ66 and Aikang 58 (AK58), a FHB susceptible wheat cultivar, to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that contribute to the FHB resistance. Five field experiments were established across two consecutive crop seasons (2018 and 2019) to evaluate the DH lines and parents for FHB response. The parents and DH population were genotyped with the wheat 55K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay. Six QTLs associated with FHB resistance in JZ66 were mapped on chromosome 2DS, 3AS, 3AL, 3DL, 4DS, and 5DL, respectively. Four of the QTL (QFhb.hbaas-2DS, QFhb.hbaas-3AL, QFhb.hbaas-4DS, and QFhb.hbaas-5DL) were detected in at least two environments, and the QTL on 3AL and 5DL might be new. The QTL with major effects, QFhb.hbaas-2DS and QFhb.hbaas-4DS, explained up to 36.2% and 17.6% of the phenotypic variance, and were co-localized with the plant semi-dwarfing loci Rht8 and Rht-D1. The dwarfing Rht8 allele significantly increased spike compactness (SC) and FHB susceptibility causing a larger effect on FHB response than Rht-D1 observed in this study. PCR–based SNP markers for QFhb.hbaas-2DS, QFhb.hbaas-3AL, QFhb.hbaas-4DS, and QFhb.hbaas-5DL, were developed to facilitate their use in breeding for FHB resistance by marker-assisted selection.

Download Full-text

Molecular mapping of novel genes controllingFusariumhead blight resistance and deoxynivalenol accumulation in spring wheat

Genome ◽

10.1139/g03-033 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 555-564 ◽

Cited By ~ 184

Author(s):

Daryl J Somers ◽

George Fedak ◽

Marc Savard

Keyword(s):

Triticum Aestivum ◽

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Molecular Mapping ◽

Field Trials ◽

Disease Spread ◽

Head Blight ◽

Sources Of Resistance ◽

Spike Morphology ◽

Spray Inoculation ◽

Fhb Resistance

Fusarium head blight of wheat is an extremely damaging disease, causing severe losses in seed yield and quality. The objective of the current study was to examine and characterize alternate sources of resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB). Ninety-one F1-derived doubled haploid lines from the cross Triticum aestivum 'Wuhan-1' × Triticum aestivum 'Maringa' were examined for disease reaction to Fusarium graminearum by single-floret injection in replicated greenhouse trials and by spray inoculation in replicated field trials. Field and greenhouse experiments were also used to collect agronomic and spike morphology characteristics. Seed samples from field plots were used for deoxynivalenol (DON) determination. A total of 328 polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to construct a genetic linkage map in this population and together these data were used to identify QTL controlling FHB resistance, accumulation of DON, and agronomic and spike morphology traits. The analysis identified QTL for different types of FHB resistance in four intervals on chromosomes 2DL, 3BS, and 4B. The QTLs on 4B and 3BS proximal to the centromere are novel and not reported elsewhere. QTL controlling accumulation of DON independent of FHB resistance were located on chromosomes 2DS and 5AS. Lines carrying FHB resistance alleles on 2DL and 3BS showed a 32% decrease in disease spread after single-floret injection. Lines carrying FHB resistance alleles on 3BS and 4B showed a 27% decrease from the mean in field infection. Finally, lines carrying favourable alleles on 3BS and 5AS, showed a 17% reduction in DON accumulation. The results support a polygenic and quantitative mode of inheritance and report novel FHB resistance loci. The data also suggest that resistance to FHB infection and DON accumulation may be controlled, in part, by independent loci and (or) genes.Key words: marker-assisted selection, Fusarium, wheat, microsatellite.

Download Full-text

The effect of 3BS locus of Sumai 3 on Fusarium head blight resistance in Australian wheats

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea05250 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 47 (5) ◽

pp. 603 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

G. Q. Xie ◽

M. C. Zhang ◽

S. Chakraborty ◽

C. J. Liu

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Wheat Breeding ◽

Head Blight ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Backcross Populations ◽

Australian Wheat ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Sumai 3

The 3BS allele of Sumai 3 has been the main source of Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance worldwide. Using molecular markers and FHB resistance screenings, we have analysed the effects of this allele in two backcross and two 4-way F2 populations derived from elite Australian cultivars. Compared to individuals without the Sumai 3 allele, individuals with the allele showed an average 32.0% reduction in FHB severity as measured by number of diseased spikelets. This value was slightly reduced to 29.2% when the total number of spikelets was taken into account by expressing severity as the proportion of diseased spikelets. When compared to the parental cultivars, progeny with the 3BS allele of Sumai 3 offered, on average, 43.3% reduction in FHB severity. Significant differences were not detected between progeny that were homozygous or heterozygous for the 3BS locus, indicating a dominant inheritance of this locus. These results confirm that the 3BS allele controls a large component of the FHB resistance in Sumai 3, which can be readily incorporated and detected in backcross populations using molecular markers. The materials derived from this study could offer significant benefits to the Australian wheat breeding programs.

Download Full-text

Screening of an EMS mutagenized population of a wheat cultivar susceptible to Fusarium head blight identifies resistant variants

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-03-21-0670-re ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bhavit Chhabra ◽

Lovepreet Singh ◽

Sydney Wallace ◽

Adam Schoen ◽

Yanhong Dong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Wheat Cultivar ◽

Genetic Resistance ◽

Field Testing ◽

Head Blight ◽

Point Of Sale ◽

Alternative Approaches ◽

Small Grains ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Mutant Lines

Fusarium head blight (FHB) primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum is a key disease of small grains. Diseased spikes show symptoms of premature bleaching shortly after infection and have aborted or shriveled seeds, resulting in reduced yields. The fungus also deteriorates quality and safety of the grain due to production of mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol (DON), which can result in grain being docked or rejected at the point of sale. Genetic host resistance to FHB is quantitative and no complete genetic resistance against this devastating disease is available. Alternative approaches to develop new sources of FHB resistance are needed. In this study, we performed extensive forward genetic screening of the M4 generation of an EMS induced mutagenized population of cultivar Jagger to isolate variants with FHB resistance. In field testing, 74 mutant lines were found to have resistance against FHB spread and 30 lines out of these also had low DON content. Subsequent testing over two years in controlled greenhouse conditions revealed ten M6 lines showing significantly lower FHB spread. Seven and six lines out of those 10 lines also had reduced DON content and lower FDKs, respectively. Future endeavors will include identification of the mutations that led to resistance in these variants.

Download Full-text

Alien chromatin but not Fhb7 confers Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat breeding

10.1101/2021.02.03.429547 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Xianrui Guo ◽

Qinghua Shi ◽

Jing Yuan ◽

Mian Wang ◽

Jing Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Resistance Breeding ◽

Wheat Breeding ◽

Glutathione S Transferase ◽

Head Blight ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Translocation Lines ◽

High Level ◽

Thinopyrum Elongatum

AbstractFusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium species, seriously threaten global wheat production. Three wheat-Th.elongatum FHB resistant translocation lines have been developed and used for breeding. Transcriptomic analysis identified a derivative glutathione S-transferase transcript T26102, which was homologous to Fhb7 and induced dramatically by Fusarium graminearum. Homologs of Fhb7 were detected in several genera in Triticeae, including Thinopyrum, Elymus, Leymus, Pseudoroegeria and Roegeria. Several wheat-Thinopyrum translocation lines carrying Fhb7 remain susceptible to FHB, and transgenic plants overexpressing the T26102 on different backgrounds did not improve the FHB resistance. Taken as a whole, we show the application of the chromatin derived from diploid Thinopyrum elongatum successfully conferring wheat with high level FHB resistance independent of the Fhb7.One Sentence SummaryThinopyrum elongatum chromatin from 7EL was successfully applied to wheat FHB resistance breeding, but the resistant gene other than the reported Fhb7 remained unknown.

Download Full-text

A Quantitative Proteomics View on the Function of Qfhb1, a Major QTL for Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens7030058 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 58 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Moustafa Eldakak ◽

Aayudh Das ◽

Yongbin Zhuang ◽

Jai Rohila ◽

Karl Glover ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Starch Synthesis ◽

Resistance Mechanism ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Defense Responses ◽

Wheat Breeding ◽

Host Cells ◽

Head Blight ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Trait Locus

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a highly detrimental disease of wheat. A quantitative trait locus for FHB resistance, Qfhb1, is the most utilized source of resistance in wheat-breeding programs, but very little is known about its resistance mechanism. In this study, we elucidated a prospective FHB resistance mechanism by investigating the proteomic signatures of Qfhb1 in a pair of contrasting wheat near-isogenic lines (NIL) after 24 h of inoculation of wheat florets by Fusarium graminearum. Statistical comparisons of the abundances of protein spots on the 2D-DIGE gels of contrasting NILs (fhb1+ NIL = Qfhb1 present; fhb1- NIL = Qfhb1 absent) enabled us to select 80 high-ranking differentially accumulated protein (DAP) spots. An additional evaluation confirmed that the DAP spots were specific to the spikelet from fhb1- NIL (50 spots), and fhb1+ NIL (seven spots). The proteomic data also suggest that the absence of Qfhb1 makes the fhb1- NIL vulnerable to Fusarium attack by constitutively impairing several mechanisms including sucrose homeostasis by enhancing starch synthesis from sucrose. In the absence of Qfhb1, Fusarium inoculations severely damaged photosynthetic machinery; altered the metabolism of carbohydrates, nitrogen and phenylpropanoids; disrupted the balance of proton gradients across relevant membranes; disturbed the homeostasis of many important signaling molecules induced the mobility of cellular repair; and reduced translational activities. These changes in the fhb1- NIL led to strong defense responses centered on the hypersensitive response (HSR), resulting in infected cells suicide and the consequent initiation of FHB development. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that Qfhb1 largely functions to either alleviate HSR or to manipulate the host cells to not respond to Fusarium infection.

Download Full-text

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression improves Fusarium head blight resistance in durum wheat

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-73521-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jitendra Kumar ◽

Krishan M. Rai ◽

Seyedmostafa Pirseyedi ◽

Elias M. Elias ◽

Steven Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Head Blight ◽

Breeding Lines ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Plant Pathogen Interaction ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Parental Lines

Abstract Eight advanced durum-breeding lines were treated with 5-methyl-azacytidine to test the feasibility of generating sources of Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance. Of the 800 treated seeds, 415 germinated and were advanced up to four (M4) generations by selfing. Thirty-two of the resulting 415 M4 lines were selected following preliminary screening and were further tested for FHB resistance for three years at two field locations, and in the greenhouse. Five of the 32 M4 lines showed less than 30% disease severity, as compared to the parental lines and susceptible checks. Fusarium-damaged kernels and deoxynivalenol analyses supported the findings of the field and greenhouse disease assessments. Two of the most resistant M4 lines were crossed to a susceptible parent, advanced to third generation (BC1:F3) and were tested for stability and inheritance of the resistance. About, one third of the BC1:F3 lines showed FHB resistance similar to their M4 parents. The overall methylation levels (%) were compared using FASTmC method, which did not show a significant difference between M4 and parental lines. However, transcriptome analysis of one M4 line revealed significant number of differentially expressed genes related to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, MAPK signaling, photosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction and plant-pathogen interaction pathways, which may have helped in improved FHB resistance.

Download Full-text

Proteomics Reveals the Changes that Contribute to Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto-05-20-0171-r ◽

2020 ◽

pp. PHYTO-05-20-017

Author(s):

Mingming Yang ◽

Xianguo Wang ◽

Jian Dong ◽

Wanchun Zhao ◽

Tariq Alam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Metabolic Pathways ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Critical Role ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Defense Responses ◽

Head Blight ◽

Resistance Response ◽

Fhb Resistance

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease of wheat, causing yield losses and quality reduction as a result of mycotoxin production. In this study, iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification)- labeling-based mass spectrometry was employed to characterize the proteome in wheat cultivars Xinong 538 and Zhoumai 18 with contrasting levels of FHB resistance as a means to elucidate the molecular mechanisms contributing to FHB resistance. A total of 13,669 proteins were identified in the two cultivars 48 h after Fusarium graminearum inoculation. Among these, 2,505 unique proteins exclusively accumulated in Xinong 538 (resistant) and 887 proteins in Zhoumai 18 (susceptible). Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that most differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) from both cultivars were assigned to the following categories: metabolic process, single-organism process, cellular process, and response to stimulus. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that a greater number of proteins belonging to different metabolic pathways were identified in Xinong 538 compared with Zhoumai 18. Specifically, DAPs from the FHB-resistant cultivar Xinong 538 populated categories of metabolic pathways related to plant–pathogen interaction. These DAPs might play a critical role in defense responses exhibited by Xinong 538. DAPs from both genotypes were assigned to all wheat chromosomes except chromosome 6B, with approximately 30% mapping to wheat chromosomes 2B, 3B, 5B, and 5D. Twenty single nucleotide polymorphism markers, flanking DAPs on chromosomes 1B, 3B, 5B, and 6A, overlapped with the location of earlier mapped FHB-resistance quantitative trait loci. The data provide evidence for the involvement of several DAPs in the early stages of the FHB-resistance response in wheat; however, further functional characterization of candidate proteins is warranted.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Canadian barley breeding lines for Fusarium head blight resistance

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps-2015-062 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 95 (5) ◽

pp. 923-929 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Xinyao He ◽

Mohamed Osman ◽

James Helm ◽

Flavio Capettini ◽

Pawan K. Singh

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Blight Resistance ◽

Head Blight ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Breeding Lines ◽

Barley Breeding ◽

Days To Heading ◽

Fhb Resistance

He, X., Osman, M., Helm, J., Capettini, F. and Singh, P. K. 2015. Evaluation of Canadian barley breeding lines for Fusarium head blight resistance. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 923–929. Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a major challenge to the successful production of barley in Canada, as well as for end-users such as the malting and brewing industries. Due to the quantitative inheritance of FHB resistance, continuous effort is required to identify breeding lines with improved FHB resistance and incorporate them into crossing schemes to enhance FHB resistance. In the present study, 402 advanced breeding lines from Alberta, Canada, were evaluated in the FHB screening nursery at CIMMYT, Mexico. In 2011 and 2012, FHB incidence was measured on a scale of 1 to 4 to eliminate the most susceptible lines. In 2013 and 2014, 181 lines with the lowest disease scores in the previous 2 yr were tested in replicated experiments for field FHB index, Fusarium-damaged kernels, and deoxynivalenol content. Agronomic and morphological traits, specifically days to heading, plant height, and row and hull types were also evaluated in relations to FHB parameters. Correlation coefficients among the three FHB parameters in both 2013 and 2014 were all significant at P<0.0001, ranging from 0.36 to 0.63. Additional correlation analysis showed that late-maturing, tall, and two-row lines tended to have lower disease, whereas hull type did not show a significant correlation with FHB. Several lines with high and stable FHB resistance similar to that of the resistant checks were identified. These could be used in breeding programs as resistance sources or be registered as new cultivars if their overall attributes meet commercial standards.

Download Full-text

The Ability to Detoxify the Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol Colocalizes With a Major Quantitative Trait Locus for Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions ◽

10.1094/mpmi-18-1318 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 1318-1324 ◽

Cited By ~ 263

Author(s):

Marc Lemmens ◽

Uwe Scholz ◽

Franz Berthiller ◽

Chiara Dall'Asta ◽

Andrea Koutnik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Trait Locus ◽

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Quantitative Trait ◽

Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽

Close Relation ◽

Major Effect ◽

Head Blight ◽

Fhb Resistance ◽

Trait Locus ◽

Wheat Lines

We investigated the hypothesis that resistance to deoxynivalenol (DON) is a major resistance factor in the Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance complex of wheat. Ninety-six double haploid lines from a cross between ‘CM-82036’ and ‘Remus’ were examined. The lines were tested for DON resistance after application of the toxin in the ear, and for resistances to initial infection and spread of FHB after artificial inoculation with Fusarium spp. Toxin application to flowering ears induced typical FHB symptoms. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses detected one locus with a major effect on DON resistance (logarithm of odds = 53.1, R2 = 92.6). The DON resistance phenotype was closely associated with an important FHB resistance QTL, Qfhs.ndsu-3BS, which previously was identified as governing resistance to spread of symptoms in the ear. Resistance to the toxin was correlated with resistance to spread of FHB (r = 0.74, P < 0.001). In resistant wheat lines, the applied toxin was converted to DON-3-O-glucoside as the detoxification product. There was a close relation between the DON-3-glucoside/DON ratio and DON resistance in the toxintreated ears (R2 = 0.84). We conclude that resistance to DON is important in the FHB resistance complex and hypothesize that Qfhs.ndsu-3BS either encodes a DON-glucosyltransferase or regulates the expression of such an enzyme.

Download Full-text