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CASTLE MALTING NEWS in partnership with www.e-malt.com Chinese
21 April, 2006



Barley news USA: Scientists to have the tools that might fight Fusarium headlight

Since the early 1990s, Fusarium headlight (FHB) has caused significant losses to the barley across Minnesota and North Dakota. Now 15 years later, scientists have the tools that may help them find natural resistance to FHB within the barley plant, according to the Farm and Ranch report of April 13.

Mike Johanns, the Agriculture Secretary announced, on March 31, that $5 million has been awarded to a consortium of 30 barley scientists at 19 institutions.The Secretary had announced, back in February, that $5 million was also awarded to wheat scientists at 18 institutions.

University of Minnesota is to receive $2 million of the $5 million barley grant and will lead the study. The university has been involved in barley research for over 100 years, and many of the barley varieties used for malting were developed at the Land Grant College.

Gary Muehlbauer, associate professor of agronomy and plant genetics at the U of M will serve as project leader.

“There are lots of people involved in this study around the country,” said Muehlbauer. “There is a fairly active barley community in the U.S. that works in both genetics and breeding.” The goal of the four-year study is to identify genes that will produce higher yielding, higher quality and disease-resistant barley.

North Dakota State University scientists are among those who will participate in the study. NDSU economists estimate that North Dakota producers had $157 million in direct losses from FHB in 2005, with direct and secondary losses of more than $500 million to wheat and barley.

In Minnesota, barley acres have dropped over the years - primarily due to increased humid conditions that favor FHB and the development of DON. Maltsters can easily check for DON levels in barley, and levels over 1-2 part per million (PPM) are frequently discounted or rejected for malting and must be used as feed.

According to USDA's National Ag Statistics Service, Minnesota planted 1.2 million acres of barley in 1985. Farmers harvested 1.07 million acres with an average yield of 66 bushels/acre. Value of production in 1985 in Minnesota was $119.9 million.

In 2005, Minnesota farmers planted 125,000 acres of barley - only 10 percent of the 1985 crop. They harvested 90,000 acres with an average yield of 43 bushels/acre. The crop was valued at $7.5 million dollars.

The most recent USDA Planting Intentions report lists Minnesota barley acres at just 85,000 acres for 2006.

The barley industry hopes this study can give breeders the clues they need to produce barley with the resistance that it needs. By breeding for better barley, more producers could add barley back into their crop rotation.

“This research will help our producers increase their competitiveness by producing high yielding, high quality barley,” said Johanns in a news release from USDA. “The knowledge acquired by this research will be provided to scientists, growers and industry breeders, continuing USDA's long history in promoting agriculture research.”

The goal of the study is to develop and use the tools of genomics to develop new barley cultivars.

Scientists will develop a detailed genetic “road map” of barley and proceed to identify genes linked to important traits with molecular markers in 10 breeding programs across the country.

Molecular markers are landmarks in the chromosome maps that help plant scientists identify specific chromosome segments.

Researchers will use the science of association genetics to identify genes controlling yield, food and malt quality, and disease resistance.

Association genetics will deal with evaluating and measuring the degree of association between the molecular markers (genes) and the traits of interest.Marker-assisted selection technology will allow breeders to more precisely select the best trait combinations for specific varieties.

This project uses no genetic engineering - only identification of the genes already found in barley.According to USDA, a plant scientist might mark a combination of genes known to increase disease resistance.

Breeders wanting the disease resistance trait will have access to the marker information to identify lines containing that specific combination of genes.

“This project will implement new genomics technology,” said Muehlbauer. “We want to make barley breeding more efficient and effective.”In addition to FHB, scientists throughout the country will address stripe rust, net blotch, spot blotch, Septoria, and powdery mildew.

Muehlbauer pointed out that the benefits of the barley research would extend to the general public.

“The research will help create an alternative and healthy source of food and energy by developing a more sustainable supply of barley,” he said.

A food scientist from Washington State will be looking at food-related traits with the idea of increasing human barley consumption. Barley has been given a healthy heart label by the Food and Drug Administration, said Muehlbauer.

“We think there will be companies that might want to try to use that type of label,” he said. “We need to have the germplasm so that growers can grow what the companies can use.”Barley is also being considered for ethanol. Scientists in Virginia will study barley traits for fuel production.

“The barley geneticists in the U.S. have developed several really useful genetic tools for barley breeding,” said Muehlbauer. “Now what USDA wants to do is couple these genetic tools with the barley breeding programs in the country.”

By making the “genetic roadmap” for barley and identifying genes that carry certain traits, geneticists will help barley breeders identify those genes that may create the complete variety package for barley.

Plants carry an amazing amount of adaptability within their seemingly simple structures. That's because plants have to be able to adapt or they die - they don't have a way to get up and move to a more suitable location.

Plants have the ability to grow in a variety of different environments. By mapping and identifying those genes that allow plants to adapt, scientists just may find the resistance needed to make FHB and other diseases no longer a threat to the barley grower.






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