Safe grains: Mycotoxin prevention through resistant wheat and oats

In 2004 there were alarming levels of mycotoxins like DON and T-2/HT-2in Norwegian wheat and oats. In 2005 the latter levels in oats were prohibitive for e.g. horsefeed. The present proposal builds on a decade of Norwegian cereal breeding and research to introduce/identify resistance against the causal Fusarium fungi. It is internationally recognized that resistance is the cheapest and most sustainable way of controlling the problem, since it is race non-specific and hence durable. Due to the very cumber some testing, marker assisted selection is a promising tool. In a previous project we have shown and mapped moderate European resistance to Fusarium in wheat. The nest step is to verify the QTL's developed, for use in the Norwegian breeding. In wheat we h ave also introgressed resistance sources from China. In the latter case there are good diagnostic markers on chrom. 3BS, and back crossing is underway. To build exclusively on this is unadvisable. In recombinant lines betweem the Japanese, Chinese and Eur opean wheat we will map other loci. Together with our current project for marker-assisted selection for partial resistance to wheat powdery mildew, we will provide Norwegian wheat breeding with a a broad base for resistance breeding and markers. In oats w e have identified unique (partial) resistance in introgressions form Avena sterilis, which has aroused wide interest. These will be characterized in terms of infection process, nature of the resistance and assessment methods. In RILs with adapted cultiva rs the inheritance will be investigated. Markers in oats will be developed in an international partnership who join forces to have the DArT system established in 2006-07 in Australia. In this way more markers are expected to be available for mapping the r esistance. This project involves collaboration with outstanding international research groups wotking with the Fusarium problem in what and oats.