Page 156 - PC2019 Program & Proceedings

PLANT CANADA 2019

S97. Assessing the impact of fungicides on FHB caused by Fusarium spp. on two wheat cultivars in
Alberta
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2
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Asif, M. ; S. Strydhorst ; S. Strelkov ; A. Terry ; M. Harding ; D. Pauly ; J. Feng 2
2
1 University of Alberta; Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
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Syngenta Agriculture and Forestry
Crop rotations in western Canada are becoming tighter, increasing the presence of wheat pathogens,
including the Fusarium species, which increases the chance of yield and quality losses. Downgrading of
grain due to fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) is becoming a bigger problem, resulting in an increase in
the use of fungicide at BBCH61-63. One purpose of this research was to assess the impact of fungicide
application on Fusarium spp., fusarium head blight (FHB), and deoxynivalenol (DON). In 2018, field
trials were conducted at four locations in Alberta. Thirteen treatments evaluated the quality and yield
benefits of: fungicide rates; application timing; and various fungicide modes of action. These were
applied to two genetically different Canadian Western Red Spring wheat cultivars, ‘AAC Brandon’ and
‘AAC Viewfield’. Grain samples were assessed visually for FDK and all sites were found to have low
levels. PCR analyses and DNA barcoding at two sites revealed that most plots had traces of Fusarium
species (F. culmorum, F. avenaceum, F. poae and F. graminearum). DON analysis on some samples
found an average of 82.5 ppb. These low levels are not a significant problem for growers. Low levels of
FDK/DON are attributed to the 2018 weather conditions being unfavorable for disease development. This
research shows that BBCH61-63 fungicide applications were not needed in 2018. Trials will be repeated
in 2019.

Mahnoor Asif (masif@ualberta.ca)

S98. Genetic factors affecting Fusarium head blight resistance improvement and linkage drag from
introgression of exotic Sumai 3 alleles (including Fhb1, Fhb2, and Fhb5) in hard red spring wheat
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Brar, G.S. ; A. Brûlé-Babel ; Y. Ruan ; M.A. Henriquez , C.J. Pozniak ; R. Kutcher ; P.J. Hucl
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;
1 University of Saskatchewan; University of Manitoba; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
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2
Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance genes, Fhb1, Fhb2, Fhb5, from Sumai-3, are among the most
important in wheat. Near-isogenic lines (NILs), in CDC Alsask and CDC Go backgrounds, carrying these
genes in all possible combinations were developed using MAS, evaluated for FHB and DON
accumulation in eight environments, agronomic/end-use quality assessments, and haplotyped with wheat
90K-iSelect assay. Other than evaluating the effects of major genes, the study elucidated epistatic gene
interactions as they influence FHB measurements; identified loci other than Fhb1, Fhb2, Fhb5, in both
recurrent and donor parents and examined annotated genes. Genotyping revealed polymorphism on all
chromosomes and that the NILs carried <3% alleles from the resistant donor. The phenotypic response of
NILs suggested non-additive responses and Fhb5 was as good as Fhb1. In addition
to Fhb1, Fhb2, Fhb5, 4-5 resistance improving alleles in both populations were identified and three of five
in CDC Go were contributed by the susceptible parent. The introgressed chromosome regions carried
genes encoding disease-resistance proteins, protein-kinases, NBS-LRR domains. Epistatic gene-gene
interactions among marker-loci explained >20% variation. Introgressions resulted in lower TKW and
increased plant height with Fhb5; SDS-sedimentation volume and grain protein content were also
affected. In addition to Fhb1, Fhb2, Fhb5, we identified 10 loci in Alsask and 9 in Go NILs that affected
the agronomic traits. Sumai-3 derivatives carry a number of resistance improving minor effect alleles,
other than major genes and genetic background of the recipient line and epistatic interactions can have a
strong influence on expression.

Gurcharn Singh Brar (gurcharn.brar@usask.ca)

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