PhD Oral Defense: Identification of fusarium head blight resistance genes in the wheat QTL-Fhb2 using forward and reverse genetics
PhD Oral Defense of Dhananjay Dhokane, Plant Science Department
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat worldwide. FHB not only cause serious losses in yield but also significantly detoriates the quality of grains by contaminating them with health hazardous mycotoxins. Plant resistance is considered as the most sustainable and effective strategy to manage FHB and to reduce the accumulation of mycotoxins. However, lack of effective and precise phenotyping methods and limited understanding of the genetics of FHB resistance has hindered the development of resistant cultivars. Resistance to FHB in wheat is quantitative, therefore more than 100 QTL have been identified and mapped on all chromosomes in wheat. QTL-Fhb2 is the second major QTL that confers high levels of resistance to the spread of Fusarium graminearum (Fg) within a spike through the rachis. However, the genes underlying the QTL and the mechanisms of resistance are still unelucidated.
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