Durum wheat line: the first in Canada and the world to show intermediate resistance rating to Fusarium head blight
Crop breeding is a notoriously slow process - it takes approximately eight years for new varieties to go from concept to field. But some things are worth the wheat! Two Agriculture and AgriFood (AAFC) durum wheat lines are among the latest offerings with traits to improve yield and combat fungal diseases.
Developed by AAFC research scientist and breeder Dr. Yuefeng Ruan of the Swift Current Research and Development Centre, the new lines are the latest outputs of durum breeding research that leverages genetic technologies to bolster fungal resistance for improved grade protection and yield of durum wheat. FHB, a fungal disease primarily found in small grain cereals and corn, infects seeds and diminishes the quality of harvested grains used in food and non-food applications.
DT2009 is the first durum line in Canada - and the world - to demonstrate an Intermediate Resistance (IR) response to Fusarium head blight (FHB), in addition to increased yield, straw strength, and protein concentration. It has been registered as
AAC Schrader with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on October 8, 2021, and is marketed by FP Genetics. DT2009:
• The first durum line with an intermediate resistance (IR) rating to FHB
• High yield similar to Brigade
• Protein concentration similar to Strongfield
• Plant height and maturity similar to AAC Cabri
• Straw strength equal to Brigade
• Rated as having “resistance to moderate resistance” to all rusts including Ug99 stem rust
• Showed good drought tolerance and yield under 2021 extreme drought conditions
DT2005 also demonstrates increased yield and improved Fusarium head blight (FHB) responses over current registered cultivars.
DT2005:
• Excellent yellow pigment over current cultivars
• 2.8% higher yield than Brigade with similar protein concentration
• Plant height equal to AAC Cabri
• Straw strength similar to Brigade
• Maturity similar to Strongfield
• Resistance to leaf rust, stem rust and stripe rust, and moderate resistance to Ug99 stem rust
• Shows improved response to FHB similar to Brigade in overall profile of current cultivars