J.M. Nyachiro1*, J.H. Helm1, P.E Juskiw1, D.F. Salmon1, J.L. Zantinge1, K. Xi1,
K. Turkington2, M. Oro1, S. Chisholm1, Z. Hartman1, and T. Duggan1
1Alberta
Agriculture, Food & Rural Development Field, Crop Development Centre, 5030
- 50 Street, Lacombe, AB T4L 1W8,
2Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre,
6000 C&E Trail, Lacombe, Alberta, T4L 1W1, CANADA
website: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/app21/rtw/selsubj.jsp
*Corresponding author: joseph.nyachiro@gov.ab.ca
Most regions of the Prairie Provinces of Canada, including Alberta, had better moisture conditions in 2004 compared to 2003. Growing conditions during the 2004 crop season generally improved from 2003, although adverse wet weather conditions in the fall resulted in pre-harvest sprouting damage that decreased crop quality. Provincial average yield for barley in 2004 is estimated to be higher compared to 2003 and the 10-year averages. According to Statistics Canada, Alberta farmers seeded about 4.9 million acres (1.98 million ha) of barley in 2004, slightly less, than the 5.4 million acres (2.7 million ha) seeded in 2003. This acreage was about 7% lower than the 10-year average. Total barley grain production was about 5.84 million tonnes in 2004 compared to 5.53 million tonnes in 2003. This was 6% above the 10-year barley grain yield average due to a combination of better weather-crop growing conditions, high production efficiency and growing of high-yielding barley varieties. The provincial average yield of barley in 2004 was estimated at 65.4 bu/acre compared to 56.4 bu/acre in 2003, and the 10-year average of 56.7 bu/acre.
In 2004, the Field Crop Development Center (FCDC) of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD), presented two new barley lines, TR03661 and BT566. Both lines were supported for registration at meetings of the Prairie Registration Recommending Committee for Grain held at Saskatoon in February 2005.
BT 566 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a 6-rowed, smooth awned, hulled feed barley developed by the Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) in Lacombe. It has a yellow aleurone and a long rachilla with long hair. The pedigree is BT636/Tukwa. BT 566 has high grain and silage yields in central Alberta, with good kernel weight and seed plumpness. It was tested in the Western Cooperative Barley Trials as BT 566 and in FCDC trials as H92068001. In FCDC silage trials, BT 566 out-yielded the high yielding six-rowed varieties Vivar and AC Lacombe. These characteristics make it a desirable multi-purpose variety for the livestock industry. BT 566 has multiple gene resistance to scald, as shown in multi-station, multi-year trials. It has resistance to covered smut and false loose smut.
TR 03661 (H. vulgare L.) is a 2-rowed, hulled feed barley was developed by the FCDC. It was tested in the Western Cooperative Barley Tests as TR 03661 and in FCDC trials as H92012004; the pedigree is CDC Thompson/Camelot. It has a yellow aleurone and a mid-long rachilla with long hairs. TR03661 has high grain and forage yields in Alberta, that combined with its drought tolerance and resistance to both scald and net blotch should prove to be a superior dual-purpose feed barley for Alberta producers. As indicated by water use efficiency data (yield per unit of applied water), TR 03661 has better drought tolerance than AC Metcalfe. TR 03661 has both seedling and adult plant resistance to scald, and resistance to false loose and covered smuts.
The FCDC in collaboration with other institutions initiated a three-year project on NIRS focusing on characterization and qualification of the nutrient value of cereal grains, with emphasis on barley. This project will lead to the development of a central NIRS calibration set that can be used across the industry, from plant breeders to end-users. The NIRS project at FCDC is expected to launch benefits to the agri-food industry in many areas. The benefits would include rapid characterization of cereals, establish better payment criteria for high nutrient feed, provide opportunities for stronger grain standards in western Canada, and as selection tools for plant breeding and germplasm development relevant to feeding standards and measurements.
In 2004, scald caused
by Rhychosporium secalis and net blotch caused by Pyrenophora teres were the major barley diseases of Alberta. relatively high stripe rust
infection was noted in some lines of experimental plots at Olds. Relatively high stripe rust infection was
also noted in adjacent plots of spring wheat and triticale. The high infection levels are of concern and
will necessitate close future monitoring.
A survey of diseases in commercial barley fields was conducted towards the end of July in fields randomly selected in north-central Alberta. This area encompasses Sylvan Lake on the west, Bashaw on the east and is bordered north and south by Ponoka and Innisfail, respectively. Fields were traversed in an inverted V, with visual analysis of 5 plants taking place at 3 locations in each field. After the survey was completed, a representative sub-sample of the diseased material collected was cultured in the laboratory for pathogen identification. Eighteen barley fields were examined. Scald caused by Rhynchosporium secalis and net blotch caused by Pyrenophora teres were the major barley diseases noted. Also common was either Alternaria spp. or a mixture of Alternaria spp. plus net blotch. Common root rot levels were similar to 2003. Loose smut was noted at trace amounts in four fields and spot blotch in one field. Covered smut, bacterial blight, and Septoria leaf spots were not noted in 2004.
In 2004, leaf sampling kits and survey forms were sent to cooperating barley producers throughout Alberta. Overall, the levels of leaf disease on the penultimate were low in most of the 16 fields that were assessed from across the province. Average levels of scald per field ranged from 0 to 29.4% of the leaf area diseased (overall average = 4.2%), while average levels of the net-form of net blotch per field ranged from 0 to 8.6% of the leaf area diseased (overall average = 2.4%). There is another type of net blotch, known as the spot-form of net blotch. Average levels of the spot-form of net blotch per field ranged from 0 to 6.5% of the leaf area diseased (overall average = 1.0%). A fourth category of leaf spots were also assessed and were collectively referred to as “other leaf spots” and average levels per field ranged from 0 to 19.0% of the leaf area diseased (overall average = 5.3%). Most of the other leaf spots that were observed appeared to be physiological leaf spotting. For most of the leaves exhibiting physiological leaf spotting it was not possible to identify any associated pathogens. The two fields with the highest levels of scald were planted to barley in 2003 and had at least three barley crops over the previous 4-year period.
Breeding lines and cooperative trial entries were evaluated by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Lacombe for resistance to common root rot for western Canadian barley breeding programs. The AAFC staff coordinated the inoculation of breeding material with loose smut. Inoculated material was then grown out by AAFRD staff and screened for resistance to loose smut using growth room facilities at AAFRD Lacombe. Staff from AAFC Lacombe inoculated barley lines with covered smut using a vacuum inoculation technique.
Large-scale hill plot nurseries to screen for resistance to scald were again conducted by AAFC Lacombe at both Lacombe and Edmonton (University of Alberta). AAFRD breeding lines and currently registered varieties with resistance to scald were evaluated for scald resistance on three dates during the summer of 2004 starting in early July. At both sites, over 7000 breeding lines and currently registered varieties with known scald reaction evaluated for scald. At Lacombe the materials had average levels of disease of 5.8 with a minimum rating of 0 and a maximum rating of 9.0 on a 0-9 scale (0 = no disease on lower, middle and upper canopy, while 9 = > 50% of the leaf area affected in the lower, middle and upper canopy). At the Edmonton nursery site, average levels of scald were 3.9 with a minimum rating of 0 and a maximum rating of 8.5. At Lacombe, approximately 3.0% of the breeding lines had ratings equal to 0, while 8.9% had ratings of greater than zero, but less than or equal to 3, 19.1% had ratings of greater than 3, but less than or equal to 5, while 69.0% had ratings of greater than 5. At Edmonton, approximately 21.3% of the breeding lines had ratings equal to 0, while 17.0% had ratings of greater than zero, but less than or equal to 3, 15.8% had ratings of greater than 3, but less than or equal to 5, while 45.9% had ratings of greater than 5. Lines with ratings from 0-3 are generally considered to be resistant, while lines with ratings of >5 are moderately susceptible to susceptible, and lines with ratings of 4 or 5 have intermediate levels of resistance. Check varieties had the following ratings at Lacombe: Manny (1.2), Seebe (3.4), Kasota (3.5), Ponoka (3.9), AC Lacombe (7.1), Harrington (7.8), CDC Earl (7.9), and Trochu (8.0). At Edmonton location ratings were. Manny (1.3), Seebe (1.5), Kasota (4.0), Ponoka (3.8), AC Lacombe (5.8), Harrington (6.4), CDC Earl (8.0), and Trochu (6.5). Scald screening data were tabulated and sent to cooperating breeding programs for their information and use regarding advancement of material and the genetics of resistance.
The cereal biotechnology laboratory at the FCDC is currently developing molecular markers for use in the current FCDC breeding programs. Our current research focus is on the development and application of markers to select for scald (R. secalis) resistance and seed dormancy. New scald resistance markers from ‘Seebe’ are being developed; more than 250 AFLP primer combinations were screened on recombinant inbred lines (RILs) Seebe X Harrington. Potential markers have been identified linked to scald resistance however we are still in the process of validating them. This population is also being analyzed using SSR markers. In addition, we have been developing molecular marker linked to dormancy and preharvest sprouting from ‘Samson’. The initial mapping of this trait on RILs derived from ‘Samson’ is being done utilizing SSR markers. We have identified possible linkages to genes controlling seed dormancy on chromosome 1H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H and 7H.
Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) has been conducting a project on multiple disease resistance in barley with CIMMYT/ICARDA as part of an Alberta Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) funded project (No. 99M526). Through our combined efforts, over 2000 lines have been screened over multiple locations (one nursery each in Mexico, Lacombe and Edmonton) and in multiple years for scald resistance. Loose and covered smuts were screened in Lacombe, and net blotch was screened in nurseries in Brandon (AAFC) and Saskatoon (University of Saskatchewan / Crop Development Centre). As well, selected lines were screened for FHB and spot blotch at Brandon and Mexico. Reactions to stripe rust and barley yellow dwarf virus were assessed in Mexico.
New combinations of resistance genes have been found. Some genotypes have been found that have genes for resistance to five or six of the diseases screened. Multiple resistance genes to scald have been found in some lines (that confer resistance in both Canada and Mexico). Dr. Helm presented the results of this study at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA meetings in Seattle fall of 2004 in a poster entitled “Multiple Disease Resistance in Barley’ by J. Helm, H. Vivar, F. Capettini, K. Xi, P. Juskiw, and J. Zantinge. A copy of the final report will soon be available from AARI at http://www.aari.ab.ca/index.cfm. Germplasm is available upon request to Dr. J. Helm. (james.helm@gov.ab.ca).