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Participants visit CINAU nursery. |
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Project information
»The problem
Wheat is the main staple for more than half of the Chinese
population. Scab disease (Fusarium head blight) affects
a quarter of China's wheat-growing area. It also produces
dangerous toxins.
Chinese wheat breeders, like wheat breeders elsewhere, face
difficulties in developing high-yielding, resistant varieties
for several reasons. First, there is a lack of resistant germplasm
with good yield potential. Second, the disease is strongly
affected by environmental conditions, so it is difficult to
evaluate resistance reliably and therefore difficult to select
efficiently during the breeding process. Third, the genetics
and molecular mechanisms underlying available resistance are
not well understood.
»The approach
This project, initiated in 1995, is developing wheat varieties
resistant to scab. The team has made tremendous progress in
the identification, analysis and utilization of resistance
from wild relatives of wheat. It is now expanding the work
to identify and use additional scab-resistant germplasm; identify
and map genes involved in resistance to scab; and generate
superior scab-resistant germplasm and varieties.
The researchers will identify new sources of resistance and,
to increase the efficacy of improvement for wheat scab resistance,
will identify the specific genes that contribute to scab resistance
in various genotypes and determine their functions and chromosomal
locations. New genotypes with scab resistance and other desirable
characteristics will be produced through conventional crossing
and selection, aided by molecular markers. In addition, genetic
engineering will be used to enhance resistance.
»The goal
To create and distribute new and improved scab-resistant wheat
germplasm nationally and internationally, and to establish
capacity in China to analyze the toxins produced by the scab
pathogen.
 Group
mapping exercise
»Back to top
Project impact
A disease resistant wheat variety developed by the CCRP project
team working on genetic control of wheat scab in Nanjing,
China, is making a difference to farmers’ pocketbooks
and helping the environment as well. The wheat variety NAU9918
was released in 2002, and because of its high yield potential
and resistance to powdery mildew and wheat scab, is rapidly
gaining in popularity with the farmers. It was grown on 3,000
hectares in 2002; 12,000 hectares in 2003; and 39,000 hectares
in 2004. It has resulted in net gain in wheat grain yield
of 375 kg/Ha, corresponding to an increased income of ~US$
63/Ha. In addition, farmers saved ~US$15/Ha on the cost of
fungicide, for a total increase in income of ~$78/Ha. Farmers
total savings from this new variety are estimated at ~$ 1.17million
for 2003-2004.
Eight scab resistant breeding lines were distributed to other
breeding programs around the world. These lines have been
used as resistant parents in wheat improvement in many programs
in China, the US and elsewhere. This will amplify many times
over the impact these new genetics has made on the lives of
farmers around Nanjing, China; with added benefits for a cleaner
environment. This work was funded in part by The McKnight
Foundation Collaborative Crop Research Program grant to Nanjing
Agricultural University (NAU) and Kansas State University,
as well as by the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation
and China's Hi-tech Research and Development program grants
to NAU.
»Back to top
Investigators
Principal Investigators
Dr. P.D.Chen, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Dr. Dajun Liu, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Dr. Zhengqiang Ma, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Dr. Bikram S. Gill,
Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Collaborators
Dr. Bernd Friebe, Kansas
State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Dr. John Raupp, Kansas
State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Mr. Michael Pumphrey, Kansas
State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Dr. Xiue Wang, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Dr. Suling Wang, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Dr. Shouzhong Zhang, Nanjing
Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
»Back to top
Annual progress reports
Click the links below for annual progress reports.
Year 1 (12/2001-11/2002)
Progress
report
Year 2 (12/2002-11/2003)
Progress
report
Year 3 (12/2003-11/2004)
Progress
report
Year 4 (12/2004-11/2005)
Progress
report
»Back to top
Publications
CCRP supported publications
File date: 8/2006
»Back to top
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