RESPONSE TO SELECTION IN F2 GENERATIONS OF WINTER-WHEAT FOR RESISTANCE TO HEAD BLIGHT CAUSED BY FUSARIUM-CULMORUM

In a field trial, F3 winter wheat lines from plants selected for Fusarium head blight resistance in F2 generations of a set of crosses, composing a 10×10 half diallel, were tested with their parental lines for resistance to Fusarium culmorum. Selection responses averaged 3.7% on the head blight percentage scale and ranged from -22.0% to 27.1%. Realized heritabilities averaged 0.23 and ranged from 0 to 0.96. Significant transgression for resistance was observed which was suggested to be genetically fixed. It was estimated that resistant parents differed in one or two resistance genes. The possibility of accumulation of resistance genes was shown. The level of head blight resistance of the parental line appeared to be a good indicator of the potential resistance level of its crosses. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.