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Mist irrigation of wheat lines being grown as part of CIMMYT’s screening program for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, on an experimental plot at the center’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico. The plants are inoculated with Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and the additional moisture encourages the growth of the pathogen. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat spike, showing symptoms of chlorosis, necrosis, and salmon pink discoloration.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Necrosis caused by Fusarium head blight (FHB) on six-row barley.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat spike, showing symptoms of chlorosis, the beginnings of necrosis, and slight salmon pink discoloration.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Necrosis caused by Fusarium head blight (FHB) on six-row barley.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) symptoms of necrosis and chlorosis on wheat spike.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Wheat spike showing symptoms of Fusarium head blight (FHB): necrosis and the presence of black perithecia, fruiting bodies containing spore sacs.

Photo credit: Javier Segura/CIMMYT.

A CIMMYT research assistant scores wheat lines for Fusarium head blight (FHB) symptoms under natural infection at a field site in Patzcuaro, state of Michoacán, Mexico. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Fusarium infection of oat.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Symptoms of Fusarium head blight (FHB) on a wheat spike, showing a necrotic segment with salmon pink discoloration. FHB symptoms may often affect a specific region of the spike, while the rest appears healthy.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Wheat lines being screened for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) on an experimental plot at CIMMYT’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico, showing various levels of symptoms (manifest as necrosis of heads). The disease has been encouraged by spray inoculation with Fusarium graminearum spores (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and mist irrigation. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

A CIMMYT research assistant displays maize kernels that have been infected with Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) in the lab, during artificial inoculation of an experimental wheat plot at the center’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico. Inoculation ensures a high disease pressure to enable scientists to study resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), and one technique is to spread these infected kernels in the field, allowing the dispersal of ascospores, one of the two types of spores produced by the fungus. However, this method is somewhat complicated and can be unreliable, and is no longer used in CIMMYT. Instead, a CO2-driven backpack sprayer is used at flowering to deliver a liquid inoculum of F. graminearum conidia, the other type of spore, which are easily produced in the lab in large quantities. CIMMYT screens several thousand wheat lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Barley spike showing symptoms of Fusarium head blight (FHB): chlorosis, necrosis, and the appearance of black perithecia, fruiting bodies containing spore sacs.

Photo credit: Javier Segura/CIMMYT.

Wheat line showing necrosis of heads symptomatic of Fusarium head blight (FHB), on an experimental plot at CIMMYT’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico. The disease has been encouraged by spray inoculation with Fusarium graminearum spores (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and mist irrigation, as part of CIMMYT’s screening program for resistance to FHB. The colored tags mark heads that were at flowering on the date that they were inoculated. Sixteen heads are tagged, and these heads are then rated for disease after 21 days. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Symptoms of Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat spikes. Visible are some green areas and some necrotic areas, typical of FHB. In this case, the disease has been encouraged by spray inoculation with Fusarium graminearum spores (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and mist irrigation, as part of CIMMYT’s screening program for resistance to FHB.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Plants of a single wheat line showing necrosis on heads caused by Fusarium head blight (FHB). In this case, the disease has been encouraged by spray inoculation with Fusarium graminearum spores (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and mist irrigation, as part of CIMMYT’s screening program for resistance to FHB.

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Mist irrigation of wheat lines being grown as part of CIMMYT’s screening program for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, on an experimental plot at the center’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico. The plants are inoculated with Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and the additional moisture encourages the growth of the pathogen. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Mist irrigation of wheat lines being grown as part of CIMMYT’s screening program for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, on an experimental plot at the center’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico. The plants are inoculated with Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) and the additional moisture encourages the growth of the pathogen. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.

Microscope slide showing a squashed perithecia of Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae). The ascospores that have been produced have burst out to the side. This is the pathogen that causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and other cereals.

Photo credit: CIMMYT.

A CIMMYT research assistant inoculates wheat with Fusarium graminearum spores (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) to test for resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), on an experimental plot at the center’s headquarters at El Batán, Mexico. A CO2-driven backpack sprayer is used to deliver a liquid inoculum of F. graminearum conidia at flowering, ensuring a high and consistent disease pressure. CIMMYT screens several thousand lines for FHB resistance every year. Resistant materials are the result of ongoing breeding efforts, and may be used further in CIMMYT’s breeding program or enter international nurseries like the Fusarium head blight screening nursery (FHBSN).

Photo credit: Janet Lewis/CIMMYT.