BRANDON, Man. (Staff) – Scientists at the Winnipeg Research Centre are scouring the world collection of barley to find varieties showing resistance to the dragon of the Red River Valley: fusarium headblight.
Andy Tekhauz said last year was the first time the disease showed signs that it could become a problem in this barley-growing region of Manitoba.
A disease specialist, Tekhauz said little is known about the disease in barley. There is a Japanese variety with some resistance, and an American variety with good resistance to headblight but poor resistance to other diseases.
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Manitoba barley country
Fusarium headblight has serious implications, given that Manitoba is predicted to become the most economical place to grow malting barley after the Western Grain Transportation Act subsidy ends.
“The malting and brewing companies certainly don’t want to entertain any possibility of having any fusarium in their material,” Tekhauz said.
However, producers who have had problems with scald and net blotch on barley can take heart.
“There are varieties in the pipe now that have fairly good resistance to both these foliar diseases,” said Tekhauz. These should be available to producers within five years.
Tekhauz told barley breeders and scientists at a conference here last week that varieties with a new gene that resists loose smut are also being developed. Breeders are also making headway against stem rust.
Work continues on development of varieties with resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus and common root root. A program dealing with common root rot was recently terminated at Saskatoon.
Tekhauz said that, in general, semi-dwarves tend to have better disease resistance, and two-row barley has more resistance than six-row varieties.
Within six-row, feed barley has shown stronger resistance than malting varieties. Tekhauz said breeders are also improving resistance in hulless barley.
