IMPROVEMENT OF DURUM AND BREAD WHEAT FOR RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT, STEM RUST, AND HESSIAN FLY

The objectives of this cooperative research project are to: 1) identify and introgress quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) from tetraploid (Triticum turgidum) and hexaploid wheat (T. aestivum) and Tausch's goatgrass (Aegilops tauschii) into hard red spring wheat (HRSW); 2) develop elite durum wheat germplasm with FHB resistance derived tetraploid wheat and hexaploid wheat; 3) deploy several Ug99-resistant genes derived from Aegilops speltoides, Ae. tauschii, Ae. markgrafii, Thinopyrum ponticum, and T. dicoccum into new durum and HRSW varieties, and 4) identify and transfer genes for resistance to Hessian fly from durum and Ae. tauschii into bread wheat.