Fusarium FocusU. S. W H E A T & B A R L E Y S C A B I N I T I A T I V E

Volume 4 • Issue 2 Summer 2002

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Over 100 FHB Research ProjectsFunded Through FY02 Initiative

he $5 million U.S. Wheatand Barley Scab Initiative

in the 2002 federal fiscal yearinvolves 83 principal investigatorsworking on 109 projects, carriedout in 26 states at 25 land grantuniversities, the InternationalMaize and Wheat ImprovementCenter (CIMMYT) and the U.S.Department of Agriculture’sAgricultural Research Service,which funds the Initiative. Thebreakdown in FY02 funding byresearch area is outlined in thegraph. An explanation of eachprogram area and its researchpriority, along with a detailedlisting of research projects,

principal investigators, andfunding amounts for FY02 issummarized on the followingpages. The Request for Pre-proposals (RFP) for FY03 will be

announced in early July, accord-ing to Sue Canty, manager of theUSWBSI Networking andFacilitation Office at MichiganState University.

U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative,FY02 Funding by Research Program Area

Variety Development - 30% Biotechnology - 23%

Chemical &Biological

Control - 6%

Epidemiology,Disease

Management - 17%Food Safety,Toxicology,Utilization -

8%

GermplasmIntro &

Evaluation -11%

Facilitation,Networking,Outreach -

5%

2002 FHB ResearchForum Dec. 7-9,

CincinnatiThe 2002 Fusarium Head

Blight Research Forum willbe held at the Holiday Inn-Cincinnati Airport, tentativelybeginning at 1 p.m. onSaturday, Dec. 7 and con-cluding at noon on Monday,Dec. 9, 2002. More programdetails will be disseminatedand announced on theInitiative web site,www.scabusa.org, andthrough the Scab Listserver.

Upcoming EventsEuropean Symposium “Fusarium - Mycotoxins, Tax-

onomy And Pathogenicity,” Sept 4-8, 2002, Poznan, Poland,Department of Chemistry, August Cieszkowski AgriculturalUniversity. See link to more information at www.scabusa.org

Tri-Annual North American Barley Researchers Work-shop, Sept. 22-25, 2002, Fargo, N.D.: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/plant_sciences/NABRW/

2002 National Fusarium Head Blight Forum, December7-9, 2002, Erlanger, KY: www.scabusa.org

Barley Improvement Conference, San Francisco, Jan 7-9,2003: www.ambainc.org/ni/index.htm

PAGE 2 U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVE SUMMER 2002

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Continued on Next Page

USWBSI FY02: Biotechnology Researchhe Biotechnology researcharea encompasses both

basic and applied research aimedat characterizing and creatinggermplasm resistant to Fusariumhead blight. This research areainvolves transformation, genediscovery and mapping to helpdevelop FHB and DON resistantcultivars of wheat, barley anddurum.

This transformation effort is

focused on developing novelgermplasm for FHB resistance.In particular, the transformationeffort involves the insertion andtesting the effects of anti-fungaland anti-toxin genes, and thedevelopment of transient expres-sion systems to test the effects ofgene constructs on Fusariumgrowth.

The gene discovery aspectinvolves identifying additional

genes that may reduce FHB andDON, and the isolation of pro-moter/controlling sequences totarget transgene expression.Studies of molecular mechanismsgoverning host resistance andsusceptibility will be used todiscover new genes for thetransformation efforts.

Mapping research includeslocating FHB and DON resistantquantitative trait loci (QTLs) innew resistance sources, confirma-tion of existing QTL-markerlinkage information, and efforts tosaturation map QTL regions foreventual map-based cloning.

The Biotechnology researcharea of the U.S. Wheat & BarleyScab Initiative supports researchefforts addressing one or more ofthe following priorities:

Transformation• Transform wheat, barley and

durum to demonstrate the effec-tiveness of anti-Fusariumtransgenes to limit Fusariuminfection, growth and spread invitro, in growth chamber andgreenhouse tests and, ultimately,in the field.

• As wheat and barley trans-formation often uses lines thatperform poorly in the field or havepoor end-use quality, transforma-tion efforts should either usemodern cultivars or considermoving potentially usefultransgenes into modern wheat andbarley commercial cultivars formore realistic field evaluationsand better germplasm for use byplant breeders.

Gene/Promoter Discovery• Identify more genes encoding

effective anti-Fusarium proteins.

PrincipalFY02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$60,000 Anderson, University of Mapping of FHB Resistance Genes in theJames Minnesota Wheat Lines Wuhan 3 and Fujian 5114.

$54,500 Baenziger, University of Enhanced Scab Resistance in winterStephen Nebraska - Wheat Germplasm by Plant

Lincoln Transformation.

$40,000 Bai, Guihua Oklahoma State Molecular Characterization of QTL forUniversity Scab Resistance in Wheat Cultivar

Wangshuibai.

$71,000 Blechl, Ann USDA-ARS Engineering Improved FusariumResistance in Hexaploid and DurumWheat.

$51,000 Bregitzer, P. Phil USDA-ARS Marker- and Plasmid-free TransgenicBarley Encoding Antifungal Proteins.

$110,000 Cregan, Perry USDA-ARS Microsatellite MarkerDevelopment and Mapping.

$34,624 Dahleen, Lynn USDA-ARS Spike-Specific Promoter Isolation fromBowman and Near-Isogenic Marker Lines.

$18,316 Faris, Justin D. USDA-ARS Molecular mapping of Fusarium headblight resistance genes in tetraploidwheat.

$28,000 Griffey, Carl A. Virginia Tech Identification, Characterization, andConfirmation of Major QTLs for ScabResistance in Common Wheat.

$30,000 Kalavacharla, North Dakota Saturation Mapping and ContigVenugopal S. State University Development for Qfhs.ndsu-3AS, a Major

FHB Locus in Durum Wheat.

$31,500 Kianian, Shahryar North Dakota Development of markers lined to FHBState University resistance in durum wheat.

$58,000 Kianian, Shahryar North Dakota Development of markers linked to FHBState University resistance in hexaploid wheat.

$50,000 Kleinhofs, Andris Washington Saturation mapping of a chromosomeState University 3(3H) Fusarium head blight resistance

QTL.

$67,000 Manoharan, North Dakota Development of Environment-FriendlyMuthusamy State Univeristy Fusarium Head Blight Resistant

Transgenic Plants in Barley and DurumWheat.

$60,000 Muehlbauer, Gary University of Enhancement of scab resistance in wheatMinnesota and barley by plant transformation.

$58,000 Muehlbauer, Gary University of Mechanisms and essential genes forMinnesota wheat and barley scab resistance.

$50,000 Muthukrishnan, Kansas State Enhanced resistance to scab by geneticSubbaratnam University engineering with PR-protein genes.

$55,000 Sherwood, John Montana State Control of Scab with Puroindoline-University Containing Transgenic Wheat and Barley.

$48,673 Skadsen, USDA-ARS Genetic transformation of barley with anRonald W. altered hordothionin gene.

$52,000 Smith, Kevin P. University of Developing marker information forMinnesota genetic diversity and FHB resistance in

barley.

$54,000 Tumer, Nilgun Rutgers, The Modification of the Ribosomal Target toState University Enhance Resistance to Trichotheceneof New Jersey Mycotoxins.

$21,467 Ward, Rick Michigan State SSR Mapping of Novel FHB ResistanceUniversity Genes from a Synthetic Hexaploid Wheat.

$40,000 Yen, Yang South Dakota Cloning and analysis of Fusarium andState University wheat genes essential to FHB develop-

ment and resistance in wheat.

TOTAL: $1,143,080

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVESUMMER 2002 PAGE 3

USWBSI FY02: Germplasm Introduction and Evaluationost plant resistance shouldoffer breeders an eco-

nomical tool for managing scab insmall grain cereals, but breedinghas been hindered by a lack ofeffective resistance genes. Thediscovery of new, geneticallydifferent sources of resistance iscritical to the development ofcultivars with effective levels ofstable FHB resistance.

There is an urgent need toscreen germplasm lines fromdifferent geographical regions inan effort to identify genetically

different sources of resistance tothis disease. In addition, there isa need to develop effectivemechanisms for germplasmexchange through which newsources of scab resistance can beintroduced into the United States.Where new sources of resistanceare identified or acquired, andwhere the genetics of the sourcesare unknown, genetic analysesneed to be conducted so thatbreeders can effectively use thesenew genes in their programs.

The Germplasm Introductionand Evaluation research area ofthe U.S. Wheat & Barley ScabInitiative supports researchefforts addressing one or more ofthe following priorities:

• The discovery of new genesfor resistance in wheat and barleythrough a systematic search ofwheat and barley cultivars,breeding lines and land-racescurrently maintained in theNational Small Grains Collection.Discovery within the primarygene pool of all commodities is ofthe highest priority followed bydiscovery within the secondaryand tertiary gene pools respec-tively.

• Genetic analyses of newly

identified or acquired sources ofscab resistance in spring andwinter wheat, durum and barley.In wheat, genetic studies ofhighest priority would be forhighly resistant germplasm(comparable to e.g. Sumai 3) inwhich the source of resistance isnot derived from well studiedsources such as Sumai 3, Ning7840 and, Frontana. Of lowpriority, are studies involvinggermplasm for which the pedi-grees of accessions carrying theresistance suggest genes commonwith those in Chinese sources ofresistance are already wellstudied. In barley, genetic studiesof highest priority are those inhighly resistant germplasm(comparable to CI4196), whichcarry genes thought to differ fromthose in Chevron or CI4196.

• Collaborative efforts thatfacilitate the introduction of highlyresistant elite germplasm frominternational programs are ofdirect relevance to the germplasmresearch area.

• Recurrent selection researchthat will result in the rapid devel-opment of unique germplasm notcurrently found in breedingprograms within the commodity.

PrincipalFY02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$30,975 Elias, Elias North Dakota State Identify sources of resistance toUniversity Fusarium head blight in durum wheat.

$5,000 Franckowiak, Jerome D. North Dakota State Resistance to FHB in wild barleyUniversity associated with leaf rust locus Rph15.

$19,740 Horsley, Richard North Dakota State Evaluation of barley germplasm forUniversity resistance to Fusarium head blight in an

off-season nursery in China.

$29,300 Jauhar, Prem USDA-ARS Transfer of Fusarium head blightresistance from wild relatives into durumwheat.

$86,288 Jin, Yue South Dakota State Maintain a germplasm center of scabUniversity resistant spring wheat.

$99,800 McKendry, Anne University of Missouri Winter Wheat Germplasm Introductionand Evaluation.

$140,000 Rajaram, Sanjaya CIMMYT Facilitate international germplasm andinformation exchange through CIMMYT.

$44,000 Shaner, Gregory Purdue University New Sources of Resistance to FusariumHead Blight of Wheat.

$73,124 Steffenson, Brian University of Minnesota Evaluation of Barley Germplasm forResistance to Fusarium Head Blight.

TOTAL: $528,227

Biotechnology • from page 2• Identify more efficient

screening methods to dis-cover anti-Fusarium genes.

• Identify promoter se-quences to target transgeneexpression to spike tissue.

• Characterize molecularmechanisms of host resis-tance to identify newresistance genes.

Mapping• Map resistance genes

from unmapped barleysources and wheat sourcesother than Sumai 3.

• Type II resistance fromSumai 3 is well mapped, butconfirmation in other popula-tions will be useful.

• Confirm existing linkageinformation in new popula-tions.

• Saturation map QTLregions for map-basedcloning.

• Less emphasis on markerdevelopment is needed asadditional SSR markers havebecome publicly available.

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U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVEPAGE 4 SUMMER 2002

TUSWBSI FY02: Epidemiology and Disease Management

he purpose of the Epide-miology and Disease

Management research area is todevelop a comprehensive knowl-edge of the factors contributing tothe development of FHB epidem-ics that will lead to effectivedisease management. Althoughtraditional disease control options(crop rotations, crop residuedestruction, fungicides andresistant cultivars) have made animpact on disease levels in thefield, they have not been broadlyadopted because of their frequentnegative impact on farm econom-ics, limitations by governmentprograms and/or the lack ofavailability.

Until resistant, high-yieldingcultivars become available,multiple disease control strategieswill be required to manageFusarium head blight. Even whenresistant cultivars become widelyavailable, some producers inevita-bly will continue to growsusceptible cultivars. Thus, thegoal of the Epidemiology andDisease Management researcharea is to foster research oneffective disease managementpractices based on a morecomplete understanding of thebiology, genetics and pathogenic-ity of the causal agents;environmental conditions favoringpathogen development, inoculumdissemination and host infection;and the interactions between thecausal agents and their host.

The Epidemiology and DiseaseManagement research area of theU.S. Wheat & Barley ScabInitiative supports researchefforts addressing one or more ofthe following priorities:

• Pathogen biology and

ecology: determination of thenature, development, survival andspread of the causal Fusariumspp., including spatial and tempo-ral distribution, environmentalinfluences and management.

• Epidemiology: determina-tion of the environmentalconditions favoring developmentof inoculum and promotion ofinfection leading to epidemics andthe development and implementa-tion of disease forecasting/riskassessment systems.

• Fungal genetics: examina-tion of the diversity of Fusariumspp. to determine the genetic

PrincipalFY02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$37,714 Andresen, Jeff Michigan State University Determination of Wetness DurationUsing Radar-Derived precipitationEstimates: FY2002.

$35,000 Bergstrom, Gary Cornell University Airborne Propagules of Gibberella zeae:Their Function in Fusarium Head Blight.

$50,016 Bowden, Robert USDA-ARS Genetic mapping of aggressiveness andfertility barriers in Gibberella zeae.

$60,750 Bushnell, William USDA-ARS Pathways of Infection and Pathogenesisin Fusarium Head Blight.

$52,071 De Wolf, Erick The Pennsylvania Fusarium head blight prediction modelsState University and Gibberella zeae perithecia

development.

$70,140 Dill-Macky, Ruth University of Minnesota Crop residues and the survival,production, and control of Fusariuminoculum.

$91,000 Francl, Leonard North Dakota State Pathogen Population Dynamics,University Inoculation, and Temporal Progress of

FHB.

$18,440 Jarosz, Andrew Michigan State University Host specialization and genetic diversityin Gibberella zeae from corn, wheat &rice in Nepal.

$71,000 Jin, Yue South Dakota State Scab forecasting and environmentalUniversity effects on inoculum in eastern South

Dakota.

$53,000 Kistler, H. Corby USDA-ARS Diversity of Gibberella zeae populationsfrom the U.S., China and Italy.

$32,000 Kistler, H. Corby USDA-ARS Use of gene expression analysis to studypathogenicity in Gibberella zeae.

$26,336 Leslie, John F. Kansas State University Diversity of North and South Americanand Korean populations of Gibberellazeae.

$49,000 Lipps, Patrick E. Ohio State University Disease Forecasting System forFusarium Head Blight and the SplashDispersal of Gibberella zeae.

$37,000 Shaner, Gregory Purdue University Forecasting Fusarium Head BlightBased on weather and PathogenMonitoring.

$15,000 TeKrony, Dennis University of Kentucky Fusarium graminearum and DON levelsin single seeds following greenhousepoint inoculation.

$44,000 Trail, Frances Michigan State University Genetics and morphology of peritheciumdevelopment in Gibberella zeae on wheatand in vitro.

$40,750 Trail, Frances Michigan State University Use of gene expression analysis to study pathogenicity in Gibberella zeae.

$6,413 Vaillancourt, Lisa J. University of Kentucky Role of a Colletotrichum graminicolapathogenicity gene homologue in F.graminearum.

$40,750 Xu, Jin-Rong Purdue University Use of gene expression analysis to studypathogenicity in Gibberella zeae.

TOTAL: $ 830,380

variability and extent of aggres-siveness among species andisolates within and between cropproduction regions.

• Host/parasite interactions:document the infection andcolonization processes andcharacterization of host resis-tance/susceptibility reactions(excluding analysis of host-parasite genetics).

• Integrated disease man-agement: determine the influenceof modern crop managementpractices on disease developmentand examine management sys-tems for disease control.

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVESUMMER 2002 PAGE 5

USWBSI FY02: Chemical and Biological Controlhe Chemical and Biologi-cal Control research area

supports research to developeffective and economical chemi-cal and biological control optionsthat meet the immediate and long-term needs of growers formanaging FHB.

Uniform trials of fungicides andbiological control agents (BCAs)have been conducted on wheat,barley, and durum across diverseenvironments to identify effectivetreatments. Application methods,adjuvants, and timings of applica-tions have been evaluated toincrease the deposition of fungi-cides and BCAs to heads of small

grains and to enhance the effi-cacy of treatments.

The Chemical and BiologicalControl research area of the U.S.Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative

supports research efforts address-ing one or more of the followingpriorities:

• Collaborative efforts thatidentify fungicides and biologicalcontrol agents (BCAs), which areeffective and consistent in perfor-mance against FHB acrossmultiple environments, wheatclasses and cultivars, and barleycultivars.

• Development and evaluationof techniques that enhance theefficacy of fungicides and BCAsagainst FHB in wheat and barley(techniques such as timing ofapplication, nozzle configurations,sprayer types, additives, formula-tions of BCAs, etc.)

• Field-testing and developmentof BCAs that have been shown tohave efficacy against FHB inpreliminary tests.

• Determination of mechanismsfor FHB control, and determina-tion of optimum procedures formass production/delivery ofBCAs found to be effective inuniform tests.

Of low priority: In vitroscreening or evaluations of early-generation fungicides, BCAs, orother products that have not beenshown to have activity againstFHB in preliminary tests.

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PrincipalFY02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$15,000 Bacon, Charles USDA-ARS Biological Control of Wheat Scab withthe Endophytic Bacterium Bacillusmojavensis.

$11,313 Bergstrom, Gary Cornell University Fungicide/Bioprotectant Trials forControl of Fusarium Head Blight(New York).

$7,000 Bleakley, Bruce South Dakota State Management of Fusarium Head BlightUniversity With Biological Control Agents.

$11,000 Draper, Martin A. South Dakota State Chemical and biological trials forUniversity Fusarium head blight (FHB) management.

$7,000 Grybauskas, Arvydas University of Maryland Fusarium head blight uniform fungicidetrial in Maryland.

$5,750 Hart, L. Patrick Michigan State University Chemical Management of FHB in Wheat.

$15,000 Heaton, Louis A. Kansas State University Can We Debilitate the Wheat ScabFungus With a Virus?

$6,000 Hershman, Donald University of Kentucky Identification of Safe and Effective FoliarFungicides for Managing FusariumHead Blight in Wheat.

$20,384 Horsley, Richard North Dakota State Efficacy of foliar fungicides in controllingUniversity barley scab in lines with partial resistance.

$6,000 Lipps, Patrick E. Ohio State University Uniform fungicide trial in Ohio to identify products effective against Fusariumhead blight.

$34,536 McMullen, Marcia North Dakota State Identification of Application TechnologiesUniversity that will Optimize Fungicide Efficacy

against Fusarium Head Blight.

$15,378 McMullen, Marcia North Dakota State Uniform trials to identify safe fungicidesUniversity and biological agents effective against

Fusarium Head Blight, ND.

$7,000 Milus, Eugene University of Arkansas Chemical and Biological Control of FHBon Wheat in Arkansas.

$7,700 Scherer, Thomas North Dakota State Controlling a Watering System toUniversity Maintain Optimum Moisture Conditions

for FHB Field Research.

$90,000 Schisler, David USDA-ARS Drying, formulation and field testing of ayeast product for biocontrol of FHB.

$7,000 Shaner, Gregory Purdue University Uniform Fungicide Trials for Control ofFusarium Head Blight.

$6,000 Stromberg, Erik Virgina Tech. Evaluation of fungicides and biologicalagents for control for FHB in Virginia.

$6,000 Sweets, Laura University of Missouri Uniform Fungicide Trial to IdentifyFusarium Head Blight Effective Products.

$10,000 Van Ee, Gary Michigan State University Control Wheat Scab with ImprovedFungicide Application Technology.

$20,000 Wiersma, Jochum University of Minnesota Evaluation of varietal responses todifferent fungicide managementstrategies in spring wheat.

$15,700 Yuen, Gary Y. University of Nebraska Biocontrol of Fusarium head blight.- Lincoln

TOTAL: $323,761

PHOTO: University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVEPAGE 6 SUMMER 2002

wUSWBSI FY02: Variety Development and Uniform Nurseries

heat and barley germplasmsources that have resis-

tance to FHB have beenidentified. Thus, development ofenhanced germplasm and culti-vars that have FHB resistance isan effective approach to minimiz-

ing production and productutilization losses due to FHB.Classical and biotechnologicalmethods of plant breeding arebeing used to efficiently transferand pyramid FHB resistancegenes into adapted lines. Collabo-

PrincipalFY 02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$87,585 Anderson, James University of Minnesota Breeding Fusarium Head BlightResistant Wheat.

$35,288 Anderson, James University of Minnesota Marker-assisted Selection for an FHBResistance Gene Derived from Sumai 3.

$48,839 Baenziger, Stephen University of Nebraska To Ehance Variety Development of Scab - Lincoln Resistant Varieties.

$63,491 Berzonsky, William North Dakota State Improving Specialty Spring WheatUniversity Germplasm for Resistance to Fusarium

Head Blight.

$30,483 Bockus, William W. Kansas State University Development of scab resistant wheatcultivars for Kansas.

$60,533 Brown-Guedira, Gina USDA-ARS Scab resistant gene deployment intowheat lines via marker assisted selection.

$12,698 Costa, Jose M. University of Maryland Developing new SRWW germplasm withresistance to scab.

$82,821 Elias, Elias North Dakota State Development of Durum Wheat resistantUniversity to Fusarium Head Blight.

$73,259 Franckowiak, Jerome D. North Dakota State Enhanced resitance to Fusarium inUniversity two-rowed barley.

$72,038 Gallenberg, Dale South Dakota State Spring wheat breeding for scabUniversity resistance in South Dakota.

$9,000 Garvin, David F. USDA-ARS Coordination of a Uniform Regional ScabNursery for Spring Wheat Parents.

$68,375 Griffey, Carl A. Virginia Tech. Selective breeding for Scab Resistancein soft Winter Wheat.

$20,512 Harrison, Stephen Louisiana State University Development of FHB Resistant WheatGenotypes Adapted to the Gulf Coast.

$90,000 Horsley, Richard North Dakota State Accelerated development of scabUniversity resistant barley varieties.

$11,440 Horsley, Richard North Dakota State Screening barley lines for scabUniversity resistance in uniform nurseries.

$66,079 Ibrahim, Amir South Dakota State Winter wheat breeding for scabUniversity resistance in South Dakota.

$15,902 Johnson, Jerry University of Georgia Development of Scab Resistant WheatCultivars Adapted to the Southeast.

$79,464 Kolb, Frederic University of Illinois Development of Scab Resistance SoftRed Winter Wheat Varieties.

$75,212 Merguom, Mohamed North Dakota State Development of hard red spring wheatcultivars resistant to scab.

$81,765 McKendry, Anne University of Missouri Accelerating the Development of ScabResistant Soft Red Winter Wheat.

$53,186 Milus, Eugene University of Arkansas Developing FHB-Resistant WheatCultivars for the Midsouth.

$17,484 Murphy, J. Paul North Carolina State Breeding Fusarium Head BlightResistant Wheat for the SoutheasternUnited States.

$76,165 Ohm, Herbert Purdue University Improvement of Soft Winter Wheat forResistance to Fusarium Head Blight.

$79,712 Smith, Kevin P. University of Minnesota Accelerated Development of FusariumResistant Barley Varieties.

$76,000 Sneller, Clay Ohio State University FHB resistant germplasm adapted toOhio and coordination of a Uniformnursery

$14,666 Sorrells, Mark Cornell University Fusarium Head Blight Resistant WheatVariety Development - Cornell.

$39,071 Van Sanford, David University of Kentucky Accelerating the Development of FHB-Resistant Soft Red Winter WheatVarieties.

$86,794 Ward, Richard W. Michigan State University Development of FHB Resistant Soft WhiteWheat Varieties for Michigan and SimilarEnvironments.

$19,536 Yen, Yang South Dakota State Implementation of Marker-assistedUniversity Selection in the Scab Breeding and

Germplasm Enhancement Programs inSouth Dakota.

TOTAL: $1,547,398

rations among breeding programsinclude regional testing nurseriesfor FHB resistance.

The Variety Development andUniform Nurseries research areaof the U.S. Wheat & Barley ScabInitiative supports researchefforts addressing one or more ofthe following priorities:

• Proposals must relate toenhancement of wheat, barley,and durum wheat germplasm forFHB resistance with the overallobjectives of evaluation anddevelopment of germplasm withimproved resistance and releaseof cultivars for commercialization.

• The improved cultivars wouldnot only have economic value forFHB resistance, but also havecombinations of other importanttraits that result in commercialvalue in wheat and barley growingareas of the U.S.

• Proposals could includeresearch on the inheritance ofFHB resistance of resistancedonor lines and protocols toimprove selection efficiency andreduce the plant breeding cyclesuch as marker-assisted selectionand production of doubled hap-loids.

Collaborations with otherresearch programs relating toreducing production and grainquality losses due to FHB areencouraged.

For more information about theU.S. Wheat & Barley Scab

Initiative, visit www.scabusa.org

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVESUMMER 2002 PAGE 7

USWBSI FY02: Food Safety, Toxicology and UtilizationHB caused by toxigenicspecies of Fusarium

graminearum (teleomorphGibberella zeae [Schwein.])produce a number of 12,13 epoxytrichothecene mycotoxins, as wellas zearaleonone. Thetrichothecenes, a group of over100 structurally related com-pounds, include the mycotoxins,deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2toxin, HT-2 toxin, and fusarenon-X. Many of these compounds aretoxic to both plants and animals.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), alsocalled vomitoxin, is the mostcommon mycotoxin associatedwith Fusarium Head Blight in theUSA and Canada, and as aconsequence, the majority ofresearch and governmentalregulation has focused on DON.The Food and Drug Administra-tion (FDA) has establishedguidelines for tolerances of DONin small grains intended for animaland human consumption. Gener-ally, processors of small grainsare demanding that the grain theypurchase have levels of DON ator below the FDA guidelines. TheFDA guidelines are based onanimal studies done in the 1980sand early 1990s in the UnitedStates and Canada. Improvedtoxicological assays are availableand need to be used to determine

if the current guidelines areproviding the appropriate safetyfactors for the consumer.

In the absence of current data,some European countries arepromoting a reduction by 10-20fold in EU guidelines. The FoodSafety and Toxicology Programgoals are: to provide tools forsmall grain producers, elevators,millers, and processors, to rapidlyand reliably identify mycotoxin-contaminated grain, and todevelop appropriate strategies todeal with contaminated grain.The program also providescentralized DON (and otherFusarium spp. toxins as needed)diagnostic services for allUSWBSI research projects atseveral USWBSI-funded facili-ties.

The rationales for this central-ized approach for DON assaysare 1) results between researchprojects can be correlated withconfidence; 2) analytical consis-tency between testing locations

and years; 3)efficiency ofcost; 4) limit ofcapital outlaysfor equipment;and 5) insuringthat theUSWBSI goalof reducing oreliminatingcontamination

of grain by DON is beingachieved.

The Food Safety, Toxicologyand Utilization research area ofthe U.S. Wheat & Barley ScabInitiative supports researchefforts addressing one or more ofthe following priorities:

• Focus on understanding theeffect of Fusarium spp. contami-nation in relation to human health,human nutrition and food quality.

• Develop risk assessmentmodels to aid regulatory agenciesin establishing realistic guidelines.

• Develop methodologiesreducing or eliminating Fusariumspp. mycotoxins by post-harvesttreatments or processing.

• Develop strategies foridentifying grain contaminatedwith Fusarium spp. mycotoxinsprior to harvest, allowing it to bediverted from inappropriate uses.

• Develop and promote appro-priate methodologies to accuratelyidentify grain contaminated withFusarium spp. mycotoxins attransfer points in the movement ofsmall grains from growers toprocessors.

• Maintain regional mycotoxindiagnostic laboratories, improveanalytical capabilities, providerapid and accurate diagnosis forresearch projects, and develop acheck program to insure thatinter-laboratory results areconsistent and reliable.

PrincipalFY02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$77,540 Dong, Yanhong University of Minnesota Diagnostic Services for DON.

$79,540 Hart, L. Patrick Michigan State University Regional Diagnostic Clinic ProvidingDON Analytical services for regionalFHB research projects.

$77,540 Mostrom, Michelle North Dakota State Diagnostic Services for VomitoxinUniversity (DON) in Wheat.

$58,823 Pestka, James Michigan State University Human Susceptibility to TrichotheceneMycotoxins.

$108,014 Schwarz, Paul North Dakota State Malting Barley DeoxynivalenolUniversity Diagnostic Services.

TOTAL: $401,457

F

PHOTO: University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVEPAGE 8 SUMMER 2002

CUSWBSI FY02: Facilitation, Networking, and Outreach

ommunication and coordina-tion of Initiative research is

conducted by the USWBSI Net-work and Facilitation Office,headquartered at Michigan StateUniversity. This office serves as anadministrative liaison between theUSDA Agricultural ResearchService and crop scientists nation-ally who conduct research underthe Initiative. It serves as a centrallocation for collecting and dissemi-nating information to the publicregarding FHB and FHB research.Among its objectives are to facili-

PrincipalFY02 Funds Investigator Institution Title

$33,600 Anderson, Olin USDA-ARS Improving research results by increasinginformation hosted on the Initiative’swebsite.

$30,315 Nganje, William North Dakota State Economic Impact of Scab on Wheat andUniversity Barley: Update 2000-2001.

$190,660 Ward, Richard W. Michigan State University U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab InitiativeNetworking & Facilitation Office (NFO).

TOTAL: $254,575

tate information to improve cropscientists’ and the public’s knowl-edge about FHB, and researchconducted on FHB. Key Networkand Facilitation Office responsibili-ties:

• Administration and coordinationof Initiative research contract

obligations.• Organization of the annual

FHB Research Forum.• Maintenance and improvement

of the Intiative web site.• Dissemination of information

related to FHB and researchconducted under the USWBSI.

Canadian Scientists Using Genomics in FHB Researchs part of its genomicsresearch program on crop

plants, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) hasincreased its efforts to under-stand Fusarium diseases ofcereals.

At the Eastern Cereal andOilseed Research Centre(ECORC) in Ottawa (http://res2.agr.ca/ecorc/), the researchgroups of Linda Harris andThérèse Ouellet are collaboratingtogether to characterize themolecular interaction betweenFusarium graminearum andtwo of its hosts, maize andwheat.

The Ouellet lab has developedfour wheat head cDNA librariesenriched in genes induced byFusarium. These includelibraries from Frontana, FHB37(a resistant spring line fromSumai3), FHB148 (a resistantwinter line from Frontana) andHarus (a susceptible wintervariety). To date, about 8000

wheat expressed sequence tags(ESTs) have been generatedfrom those libraries and used toproduce a wheat microarraycontaining approximately 3500unique genes.

In parallel, the Harris lab hasdeveloped 9 cDNA librariesfrom susceptible and resistantmaize ear and silk tissuesinfected with Fusariumgraminearum. About 6000ESTs have been generated sofar and have contributed to theproduction of a 7000 unigenemaize microarray enriched ingenes expressed during bioticand abiotic stresses.

The wheat and maizemicroarrays are being used tocharacterize the patterns of geneexpression in susceptible andresistant material, with the aimof defining the response of theplant to Fusarium attack andidentifying mechanisms andessential genes for resistance toFusarium in both crops. Com-

parison between the two cropswill allow the identification ofcommon as well as uniquemechanisms.

A genomics approach is alsobeing applied by Ouellet andHarris, in collaboration with BobWatson (all three are researchscientists in molecular pathologyat the ECORC), to further studythe pathogen itself, Fusariumgraminearum. Nine cDNAlibraries have been producedfrom fungal cultures under arange of stresses and at differ-ent stages of development.About 4500 ESTs have beengenerated and used to design a2K unigene microarray that willbe used to identify genespotentially important for patho-genicity.

– By Thérèse Ouellet,Eastern Cereal and OilseedResearch Centre, Agricultureand Agri-Food Canada,Ontario.

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U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVESUMMER 2002 PAGE 9

FHB Forecasting Models to be evaluatedin Ohio, Dakotas and Pennsylvania

esearchers at Ohio, NorthDakota, Pennsylvania and

South Dakota are evaluatingseveral FHB forecasting modelsduring the 2002 growing season.These weather-driven models canidentify weather patterns that mayresult in epidemic levels of scab ina susceptible cultivar. The modelsare based on weather and FHBdata from 50 study locationswhere scab severity data wasobtained. The weather anddisease data from these locationshave been analyzed to develop arisk assessment model for scab.

Two models are being evalu-ated this year, one based on theweather conditions seven daysbefore flowering, and the otherbased on pre-flowering data plusweather conditions 10 days post-flowering. The first model shouldhelp growers decide if they wantto invest in a fungicide applicationat flowering, and the secondmodel should help both growersand the wheat industry preparefor harvest and processing ofscab-damaged grain.

The models are entirelyweather based using hourlytemperature, precipitation andrelative humidity information.The models predict the risk ofscab occurring in an area, and donot predict the amount of dis-ease—much like a precipitationforecast, in that there is a predic-tion of the probability of rain, butnot in the amount of rain.

The models have performedwell in field tests thus far, and2002 will mark the first wide-scale validation of the models.“This will be a definite improve-

ment over the airborne sporesamples we’ve been counting inour present scab forecastingsystem,” says Len Francl, plantpathologist at North Dakota StateUniversity. “If this model holdsup, we will be able to providegrowers with a forecast at anextremely low cost.”

“We are especially interested inhow well the models provide arealistic scab risk prediction in thediverse agricultural areas of theU.S.,” says Pat Lipps, plantpathologist at Ohio State Univer-sity. The models have also beenmade available to researchers inother states, adds Erick De Wolf,

FHB Forecasting ModelsNorth Dakota State Universitywww.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/cropdisease/cropdisease.htm

Ohio State University*www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/

Penn State*www.wheatscab.psu.edu

South Dakota State Universityhttp://plantsci.sdstate.edu/wheatpath orhttp://plantsci.sdstate.edu/planthealth

Ontario Weather Network and Ridgetown Collegewww.ridgetownc.on.ca/OWN/Fusarium/Fusarium_Frame.htm

* Preliminary models on the web for informational purposes,and not to be used for farm management decisions at this time.

plant pathologist at Penn StateUniversity. “We hope they willalso evaluate the models at theirlocations,” says De Wolf. “Thefeedback of cooperators fromaround the country is importantfor the further refinement anddevelopment of forecastingmodels for scab.”

Regardless of the success ofthe risk prediction models, theirdevelopment and testing hasalready provided extremelyvaluable insights into the condi-tions required for FHBdevelopment. “That takes us onestep closer to its management,”says Francl.

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U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVEPAGE 10 SUMMER 2002

Purdue Misting System Aids in FHB Developmente have established asystem to apply a fine mist

to a portion of our head rownurseries in the field at theAgronomy Research Center atWest Lafayette, Ind., to enhanceFHB disease development.

In 2002, the third season ofoperation, the system was ex-panded to cover 1.6 acres (0.67ha). We seed the nursery intodisked cornstalks in the fall andbegin misting by mid-April, 4-5weeks prior to beginning offlowering, and continue mistingtwice daily (5-8 pm and 6-9 am)as needed, depending on rainfall,until 2 weeks after flowering iscompleted.

Nozzles which deliver 11.4 L (3gal) water per hour are at inter-vals of 2.4 m in rows 2.4 m apartand rows are offset 1.2 m. In ourexperience, application of thislimited amount of water serves tokeep the soil surface and cornstalks moist, but dry enough toallow note-taking and selectionduring the day. We also pointinoculate selected plots.

In 2000, a season in whichrainfall was typical for Indianathroughout the fall, winter andspring, with temperatures thatwere warm in early spring, FHBdevelopment in the head rownurseries was moderately severe(disease index on susceptiblewheat lines was 0.5-0.7). In2001, which was unusually dryfrom August the previous summerand throughout the fall, winter andspring, FHB was negligible onsusceptible lines in non-mistedareas of our head row nurseries,and the disease index was typi-cally 0.2-0.4 in the misted area.

In both seasons, disease severitywas much higher for powderymildew, Septoria leaf blotch andStagonospora glume blotch in themisted area than in non-mistedareas. In 2002, temperatureshave been cooler than normal

The best timing for maximum reduction of scab severity is at early headingfor barley (Feekes 10.3- 10.5) and early flowering for spring wheat anddurum (Feekes 10.51) Under weather conditions favoring infection,single fungicide applications that are too early (head half emerged) or toolate (kernel watery ripe) are not effective.

w during heading and flowering; andit will be interesting to see howFHB develops as the seasonprogresses.

– By Herb Ohm, wheatbreeder, Purdue University

Success Factors inControlling FHB

Several factors can affectthe success of a fungicideapplication for FHB control,including treatment timing,application rate, nozzle orienta-tion (if spraying by ground),spray volume and pressure.Application recommendationsby NDSU crop scientists canbe found in the article “Success

Factors in Controlling FHB” onthe USWBSI web site,www.scabusa.org/fusarium.htm. The online article includesrecommendations on split rateversus one full rate treatment;adjuvants; insecticide-fungicideapplications; aerial versusground applications; and barleyplanting dates and DON.

PHOTO: University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVESUMMER 2002 PAGE 11

FHB management web sitesMichigan State UniversityWheat Management Manualwww.cips.msu.edu/wheat/index.htm

North Dakota State Univer-sity FHB of Small Grainwww.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/smgrains/pp804w.htm

NDSU Visual Scale to Esti-mate FHB Severity in Wheatwww.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/smgrains/pp1095w.htm

Ohio State UniversityExtension FHB Factsheethttp://ohioline.osu.edu/ac-fact/0004.html

USDA-GIPSA DON Hand-bookwww.usda.gov/gipsa/refer-ence-library/handbooks/don/don.htm

Purdue University CropDiseases in Corn,Soybeans and Wheatwww.btny.purdue.edu/Exten-sion/Pathology/CropDiseases/Wheat/wheat1.html

South Dakota State Univer-sity FHB in South Dakotahttp://plantsci.sdstate.edu/planthealth/Scab/scabnet.htm

Kansas State UniversityExtension fact sheet onWheat Scabwww.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/(Click on factsheets, crops.Wheat diseases are listed)

University of NebraskaScab of Wheatwww.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/PlantDisease/g1207.htm

Virginia PolytechnicInstitute Wheat ScabIntegrated Disease Manage-ment in Small Grainshttp://ipm.ppws.vt.edu/stromberg/smallgrain/biology/wscab.html

Saskatchewan Agricultureand Food publication “Deal-ing with Fusarium HeadBlight”www.agr.gov.sk.ca/DOCS/crops/Integrated_pest_ man-agement/disease/fusarium.asp?printerversion=1

Alberta Ag. Food and RuralDev. Fusarium Head Blightof Barley and Wheat(revised May 2000)http://plantsci.sdstate.edu/planthealth/Scab/scabbull.htm

Canadian Grain Commis-sion: FHB in Canadawww.cgc.ca/Pubs/fusarium/fusarium-e2.htm

Manitoba Agriculture“Plant Diseases, FHB,Wheat and Barley”www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/diseases/fac12s00.html

USDA-ARS CerealDisease Labwww.crl.umn.edu/scab/scab.html

U.S. Wheat andBarley Scab

InitiativeFusarium FocusThis newsletter is made

possible by the U.S. Wheatand Barley Scab Initiativeadministered by the USDA-ARS. For more informationabout the Initiative, or tosubmit news items forconsideration in this quar-terly publication, contactSue Canty, U.S. Wheat &Barley Scab Initiative,Networking & FacilitationOffice, 380 Plant & SoilSciences Building, EastLansing, MI 48824-1325Phone: (517) 355-2236FAX: (517) 353-3955 E-mail: scabusa@msu.edu.

This newsletter containsan update on only a sam-pling of research funded bythe USWBSI. For moreinformation on scab re-search in the U.S., andprojects funded by theUSWBSI, see theInitiative’s website,www.scabusa.org.

Fusarium Focus iscompiled by Prairie AgCommunications, 2607Wheat Drive, Red LakeFalls, MN 56750.

U.S. WHEAT & BARLEY SCAB INITIATIVE

U.S. Wheat & BarleyScab Initiative2607 Wheat Drive

Red Lake Falls, MN 56750

SUMMER 2002PAGE 12

Growers Take Preventive Approach to FHB Control

“We need to be treating thedisease before we ever seethe symptoms”

—Richard Magnusson,Roseau, Minn. grain grower

heat and barley growerscan get a leg up on FHB by

taking a more tactical approach.For instance, Roseau, Minn.,grower Richard Magnussonbegins controlling scab beforesymptoms of the fungal diseasebecome visible in his wheat andbarley.

“That’s one of the problemswith Fusarium; by the time yousee the symptoms it’s too late todo much about it. It’s one ofthose diseases you need to beproactive in treating,” saidMagusson, in one of five “virtualgrower roundtables” held viateleconference early this spring.Sponsored by Bayer Corporation,542 growers from ND, MN andSD representing over 517,000

acres of wheat and barley listenedin on the Sessions.

Magnusson and Greg Daws, aLakota, N.D. grower, describedtheir experiences in managingscab. North Dakota StateUniversity extension plant pa-thologist Marcia McMullen andUniversity of Minnesota smallgrains specialist Jochum Wiersmaalso offered tips on managingscab, and understanding the

disease better.Transcripts from the teleconfer-

ences can be found online atwww.haltscab.com.

Management tips and recom-mendations given during one ofthe teleconferences can be foundin the article “Growers TakePreventive Approach to FHBControl” on the USWBSI website, www.scabusa.org/Fusarium.htm

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