Key challenges in breeding durable disease-resistant cereals: North America

Description

This chapter first describes the challenges of diverse climates, diseases, and market classes that face North American small-grain cereal breeders and producers. It discusses the challenges inherent in the complex systems of cereal breeding on the continent, and the changing resistance priorities brought about by shifting pathogen races and production practices. The remainder of the chapter is devoted (in rough order of priority) to the status and prospects for durable resistance to the main pests currently confronting the continent: Fusarium head blight, rusts, powdery mildew, leaf (and glume) blotches, viruses, Hessian fly, and bacterial leaf streak.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Key challenge 1: diversity of production settings 3 Key challenge 2: structure of North American cereal breeding 4 Key challenge 3: evolution of principal disease threats to small-grains cereals 5 Specific disease challenges: Fusarium head blight 6 Specific disease challenges: stripe rust, leaf rust and stem rust 7 Specific disease challenges: wheat powdery mildew 8 Specific disease challenges: leaf blotch diseases 9 Specific disease challenges: insect- and mite-related diseases 10 Specific disease challenges: Bacterial leaf streak and black chaff 11 Conclusion 12 Where to look for further information 13 Acknowledgements 14 References