Agronomic Characteristics, Malt Quality, and Disease Resistance of Barley Germplasm Lines with Partial Fusarium Head Blight Resistance

poses a marketing problem for brewing companies because nobody wants to consume a “toxin” and DON has Fusarium head blight (FHB), incited by Fusarium graminearum been associated with beer gushing (Schwarz et al., 1995). Schwabe, has caused devastating losses in both yield and quality of barBeer gushing or overfoaming is the most easily identifiley (Hordeum vulgare L.) produced in the northern Great Plains from able consumer complaint associated with DON content. 1993 to 2003. Thirty-five barley germplasm lines with partial resistance to FHB have been identified in exotic and unadapted germplasm lines. Chemical and cultural management strategies for FHB Little is known about their agronomic characteristics, malt quality, and in barley have been unsuccessful; thus, development of reaction to other diseases as compared to adapted cultivars. This inimproved cultivars with genetic resistance to the disease formation is needed so barley breeders can make informed decisions offers the greatest potential for controlling this disease. when planning crosses involving the resistant germplasm lines. The obThe inheritance of FHB resistance is not well underjective of this study was to compare the agronomic performance, malt stood; however, some progress has been made in breedquality, and disease reaction of barley germplasm lines with partial ing for resistance to FHB in barley. Thirty-five six-rowed FHB resistance to cultivars grown in the northern Great Plains. Agroand two-rowed barley germplasm lines have been identinomic and malting data were collected on the 35 germplasm lines and fied with partial resistance to FHB (Prom et al., 1996). five check cultivars grown in five environments in North Dakota from Most of these accessions originate from eastern Asia and 1998 to 2000. Data for FHB severity and deoxynivalenol (DON, a mycohave the two-rowed spike morphology. Based on our initoxin produced by F. graminearum) accumulation were obtained for tial evaluations of these lines, they appeared to be unthe same 40 entries grown in FHB-epidemic nurseries in North Dakota adapted for growth in northern Great Plains of the from 1997 to 1999. Seedling responses to foliar pathogens common in United States and the western Prairie Provinces of Canthe northern Great Plains were determined in the greenhouse during fall 1997. None of the FHB-resistant barley germplasm lines had acada because of late maturity and tall, weak straw. ceptable malt quality for all traits. Kernel plumpness, grain protein Many of these germplasm lines are being used as sources concentration, and malt extract were the traits impacted most severely. of genes for FHB resistance and low DON accumulaThe FHB-resistant barley germplasm lines headed significantly later tion; yet, little is known about their agronomic and malt than the adapted barley cultivars. Most FHB-resistant germplasm lines quality characteristics and their response to other foliar were susceptible to the common foliar diseases of the northern Great pathogens. Information in these areas is needed so barPlains. At least four cycles of breeding will probably be necessary to ley breeders can make informed decisions when working develop FHB-resistant germplasm lines acceptable to producers and with segregating populations developed from crosses to the malting and brewing industry. these resistant germplasm lines. The objective of this study was to compare the agronomic characteristics, malt quality, and reaction to foliar pathogens of 35 barley germF head blight has caused devastating losses plasm lines with partial FHB resistance to current cultiin both the yield and quality of barley produced in vars grown in the northern Great Plains. the northern Great Plains from 1993 to 2003. From 1993 to 1997, total losses due to FHB in the upper Midwest of the United States exceeded $200 million (U.S. GAO, MATERIALS AND METHODS 1999). Nganje et al. (2001) estimated losses of $136 milPlant Materials lion in the same region from 1998 to 2000. The greatest losses were due to reductions in yield and grain quality. Forty barley germplasm lines (Table 1), 35 with partial reMuch of the reduced grain quality was due to the accusistance to FHB (B. Steffenson, personal communication, 1996; Prom et al., 1996), were used in this study. Susceptible checks mulation of the mycotoxin DON produced by the pathoused in the study for comparison purposes included the twogen, F. graminearum. Depending on the purchaser of the rowed adapted cultivars Logan and Conlon and the adapted grain, barley samples with DON concentrations as low six-rowed cultivars Foster, Morex, and Stander. Conlon, Fosas 0.6 g g 1 have been rejected. DON has been found ter, and Morex are on the “2004 List of Recommended Malting to carry through malting and brewing into finished beer Barley Varieties” by the American Malting Barley Association (Schwarz et al., 1995). Even beer with low DON levels (Milwaukee, WI) when grown in the northern Great Plains. Logan and Stander are high-yielding feed barley cultivars curC.A. Urrea, CIMMYT, Mexico; R.D. Horsley and P.B. Schwarz, Dep. rently grown in North and South Dakota. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND 58105-5051; B.J. Steffenson, Dep. of Plant Pathology, Univ. of Minnesota, 495 Agronomic and Fusarium Head Blight Evaluations Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN, 55108. Received 24 Nov. 2003. *Corresponding author (richard.horsley@ndsu. Trials for the agronomic comparisons were sown on 15 May nodak.edu). 1998 and 4 May 2000 at Fargo, ND, in a fine, montmorillonitic, frigid Typic Haploboroll soil; on 18 May 1999 and 26 April Published in Crop Sci. 45:1235–1240 (2005). Crop Breeding, Genetics & Cytology doi:10.2135/cropsci2003.0608 Abbreviations: ASBC, American Society of Brewing Chemists; DON, deoxynivalenol; FHB, Fusarium head blight; RCBD, randomized com© Crop Science Society of America 677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA plete block design. 1235 Published online May 27, 2005