Effectiveness of multigenerational transfer of Sumai 3 Fusarium head blight resistance in hard red spring wheat breeding populations

Several quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance in the cultivar Sumai 3. Wheat breeders need to know which Sumai 3 loci are present in derived lines used as parents for effective marker-assisted selection for genetic improvement. This study was conducted to identify the loci in Sumai 3 derived parents that contribute FHB resistance in breeding populations. Three doubled haploid (DH) populations utilizing Sumai 3 derived parents, ND3085, ND744, and Alsen, were evaluated during 2007 and 2008 in FHB nurseries near Carman, MB, Ottawa, ON and Charlottetown, PE. The percentage of incidence, severity, Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK), and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation were measured, and FHB index calculated. DNA markers at six FHB resistance loci detected in Sumai 3 were evaluated on the populations. For each trait, a t test was applied to means of observations pooled by parental type of each marker to determine which loci contributed to resistance. The alleles at 3BS and 5AS most frequently contributed to Type I and Type II FHB resistance, as well as to reduced FDK and DON in all three populations. Markers revealed resistance on 3BS and 5AS in Alsen, ND3085, and ND744, on 3BSc, 4D, and 6BS in ND744, on 4D in ND3085, and on 6BS in Alsen. In some environments, the susceptible parent Infinity contributed minor QTL on 2D, 3BSc, and 6BS. Likewise, Helios contributed minor QTL on 5AS and 6BS.