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Reducing Fusarium toxins in wheat through genomics - guided strategies

Project

Production processes

This project contributes to the research aim 'Production processes'. Which funding institutions are active for this aim? What are the sub-aims? Take a look:
Production processes


Project code: 0313711C
Contract period: 01.04.2006 - 31.03.2010
Budget: 312,690 Euro
Purpose of research: Basic research

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat is a major threat to sustainable wheat production worldwide. Infection with Fusarium leads to severe yield losses. In addition, Fusaria produce mycotoxins in infected kernels deleterious to animals and humans. These toxins are highly heat stable and cannot be eliminated completely once they have entered the food chain. Therefore, growing of resistant cultivars is the best means to reduce the threat of mycotoxin contamination of cereal food and feed. Genetic variation for FHB resistance in wheat was described in several gene pools. In spring wheat, a few highly effective quantitative trait loci (QTL) were found in exotic stocks from China and Brazil. In European winter wheat, the genetic basis seems to be much more complex, but can be improved by effective recurrent selection procedures. Nevertheless, resistance to FHB in wheat is of quantitative, multigenic nature and therefore it is a tedious and time consuming task for plant breeders to develop cultivars adapted to local environmental conditions with a high level of FHB resistance. For that reason, in this project molecular marker techniques and functional genomics as well as mutagenesis and conventional breeding strategies will be used to develop FHB resistant wheat germplasm.

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