Assessment of Seedling Resistance to Crown Rot caused by Fusarium culmorum in Diverse Wheat Genotypes

Fusarium culmorum is one of the most destructive species causing root, crown, and basal rot in wheat. Crown rot (CR), primarily caused by Fusarium culmorum, remains a significant biotic constraint to wheat productivity globally, which requiring the identification of robust genetic resistance. Despite extensive screening efforts to date, only a limited number of wheat genotypes have been identified as resistant. This study was conducted to identify novel sources of resistance to Fusarium culmorum among wheat genotypes at both the seedling and adult plant stages. In this study, two distinct bread wheat panels totaling 601 genotypes (comprising 300 and 301 accessions, respectively) obtained from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) were evaluated for seedling resistance to Fusarium culmorum under controlled growth room and greenhouse environments, respectively. The analyses revealed that the number of moderately susceptible (MS) genotypes was high, while resistant genotypes and highly susceptible (VS) genotypes were not observed. According to the data obtained, one genotype (12) from set 1 and six genotypes (83, 182, 185, 201, 208, 222) from set 2 were found to be moderately resistant. The scale value was less than 2, and the resistance level was determined to be highest in both sets. The analysis revealed that the moderately resistant genotypes observed could be used in breeding programmes aimed at developing varieties resistant to crown rot.