Page 212 - Plant Canada 2024 Proceeding

PLANT CANADA 2024

onion leaf tissue content, plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight at the 5- and 7-leaf growth stages.
Nutrients were applied in modified Hoagland’s solution and treatments were compared to standard (half-
strength) Hoagland’s solution. There were no differences in plant height at the 5-leaf stage. At the 7-leaf
stage, the low N treatment had shorter plants (35.4 cm) compared to the low Mn treatment (40.9 cm).
Similar results were found for dry weight, 2.9 g, and 3.7 g for low N and low Mn, respectively. However,
these treatments were not different from the standard treatment. Although a reduction in Mn was intended
stress to the plant, growth was sustained and there were no differences in tissue Mn (42 - 44.5 ppm). The
CE findings demonstrated that it was possible to create a N deficiency, although lower rates of N should
be tested. The tissue N was 3.7% for the standard treatment and lower, 3.5% for the low N, but both were
within the recommended range of 2-3 %. Lower and higher rates of Mn will have to be evaluated to show
a difference in growth. Real-time LENS technology could be an important tool for fertilizer use efficiency.
Evaluations will continue in the field and CE.

[P17] PROTOCOL FOR DEVELOPING MUTAGENIZED WHEAT UNDER IN VITRO SELECTION
PRESSURE FOR FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT RESISTANCE. Clinton Dovell, D Ryabova, Susan Stasiuk,
Harpinder Randhawa, Harwinder Sidhu, and Nora A. Foroud. Lethbridge Research and Development
Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403 -1st Avenue South, Lethbridge AB, Canada, T1J 4B1
Correspondence to: nora.foroud@agr.gc.ca

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease of wheat and related cereals cause by the fungus
Fusarium graminearum, and related species. We have been developing microspore-derived doubled
haploid wheat plants from F1 hybrids under selection pressure for FHB resistance. The selection
pressure we employ utilizes Fusarium graminearum mycotoxins which are included with the microspores
in the embryo induction medium. We have been adapting our protocol to develop a mutagenized wheat
population under this in vitro selection pressure. We have compared ultraviolet (UV) and
ethylmethanosulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis treatments of the microspores prior to application of the
mycotoxins. For this protocol, we are utilizing fixed wheat lines rather than F1 hybrids, with the intention
of developing a mutagenized population from which we can (a) identify novel genetics associated with
FHB resistance, and (b) screen the efficacy of our in vitro selection method in selecting microspores with
FHB resistance genetics. We are still in the process of developing doubled haploid plants which will be
screened down the line for FHB resistance. Here, we will present our preliminary data on our protocol
development.

[P18] FORECASTING FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT EPIDEMICS IN THE MARITIME PROVINCES OF
CANADA. Emily Johnstone, Morteza Mesbah, Kristen Murchison, and Adam J. Foster. Charlottetown
Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 440 University Avenue,
Charlottetown, PE, Canada, C1A 4N6
Correspondence to: adam.foster2@agr.gc.ca

In the Maritime provinces of Canada, Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an economically important disease of
wheat and barley. Fusarium graminearum is the primary cause of FHB and results in contamination of
grain with the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). Epidemic occurrences of this disease are related to field
management practices and environmental conditions in the weeks surrounding anthesis. Management of
FHB is difficult due to a short fungicide application window therefore, weather-based disease forecasting
tools have been developed to assess in-season FHB risk and support fungicide decision making.
Currently, no FHB risk assessment tool is available to cereal producers in the Maritimes. The objective of
this study was to evaluate North American FHB forecasting models in the Maritimes to determine the
most accurate method and environmental factors for predicting the occurrence of FHB epidemics when
grain is contaminated with ≥ 0.9 ppm DON. The most accurate model from the evaluation was then used
to guide fungicide applications. Using 12 years of historical cultivar recommendation data, 10 fungicide
trials, and 37 sites years of regional FHB surveillance, found that a model using using 7-day pre-anthesis
relative humidity and temperature performed best in the Maritimes for both wheat and barley. Building on
these findings we designed and implemented a web-based tool for FHB forecasting for Maritime cereal
growers. This tool, integrated into an RShiny application, uses Environment Canada weather data to
provide daily FHB risk assessments on regional maps. The tool will be launched in the 2024 growing
season hosted by the Atlantic Grain’s Council.

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