Aspects of resistance to fusarium head blight caused by Fusarium culmorum in wheat

In the Netherlands, Fusarium head blight of wheat is predominantly caused by Fusarium culmorum . A low infection level leads to important yield losses and contaminates the grain with mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol. This mycotoxin is suggested to have toxic effects on the wheat plant. Genetic variation for resistance to Fusarium head blight appears to be very large. The resistance is quantitative; complete resistance does not exist. The estimated number of resistance genes in the studied winter wheats was small, the individual genes had large effects on resistance and inherited mainly additive. Transgression for resistance was observed in progenies. It was possible to select plants on a single plant base. No indications were found for Fusarium strain-specific resistance. Systemic fungal growth in wheat stems and variation in resistance for this trait was also demonstrated. There is a large potential for breeders to develop cultivars with a high level of resistance to Fusarium head blight.