ROLE OF LUTEIN IN FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT RESISTANCE IN THE DH POPULATION TORONIT X ACW 211.12014
Charlotte Martin1,3, Julien Dougoud1, Susanne Vogelgsang2, Brigitte Mauch-Mani3, Fabio Mascher1
1Agroscope, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland
2Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland
3Instiute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat can cause severe yield losses, modifications in grain formation and accumulation of mycotoxins. Several resistance mechanisms have been described to reduce the impact of the infection on different parts of the plant. Yet, resistance is always quantitative since no complete resistance has been described, to date. Plant secondary metabolites with antioxidant activity, such as phenolic acids, anthocyanins or carotenoids receive increasing attention for their role in resistance. The present project studies the role of lutein, a carotenoid, on FHB resistance in grain and in the spike.
Conclusions and outlook
Lutein content is significantly and negatively correlated with the proportion of Fusarium damaged kernels and with DON content in grains.
Resistance of the spike is only little affected by lutein content in the grains.
Further studies including observations from 3 experimental sites over 2 years will allow the study of GxE interactions and the genetic basis of Toronits’ FHB resistance.
Materials and methods
The projects bases on the Toronit X ACW 211.12014 DH population (n=165). Toronit is a spring wheat variety with an elevated lutein content in the grains, providing yellow flour, and with a moderate resistance against FHB. ACW 211.12014 is a susceptible breeding line with a low lutein content. The DH population has been screened in the field for disease incidence and several aspects of kernel resistance as well in the greenhouse for the presence of resistance type 1. Experiments were done with artificial spray inoculations using Fusarium graminearum isolate Fg15 (Agroscope). After harvest, grains were examined for the proportion of Fusarium damaged kernels (%FDK) and the accumulation of the mycotoxin DON (deoxynivalenol) in grains. The lutein content in each genotype was measured with a Konika Minolta colorimeter on the whole meal flour and expressed as yellow index CIE b* (Compagnie Internationale d’éclairage CIE, Vienna, Austria).
Fig. 3: Correlation between the yellow index b* of the whole meal flour b* and the percentage of Fusarium damaged kernels (data transformed in square root).
The correlation coefficient (Pearsons’ r) was -0.21 (p<0.02). The blue circle represents the moderately resistant parent Toronit. The orange circle represents the susceptible parent ACW 211.12014.
Table 1: Correlation between the scorings and observations of the DH population of the Delley site.The stars indicate the significance of the correlation:
* p<0.05; ** p<0.02; *** p<0.002.
Agroscope, Institute of Plant Production Sciences | 2015
Fig. 1: Testing of the resistance against FHB in the DH population at Cadenazzo.
Inoculated blocks were surrounded by sping triticale to avoid contaminations of control blocks.
Fig. 2: Incidence of FHB on DH population in Delley in 2015.The red bars are the parents: Toronit and ACW 211.12014. Error bars show the standard deviation of the mean.
