Objective:
Overall goals: identify and acquire 'new sources of FHB resistance' in barley, thus 'diversifying the current resistance gene pool' with emphasis in 6-row types, and to 'facilitate the utilization of resistant germplasm.' Specifically, the objectives of the project are: 1) Introduction of (highly) resistant barley germplasm from international programs and promoting germplasm exchanges, especially 6-row types, through the ICARDA gene bank and ICARDA international network that otherwise may be inaccessible to U.S. researchers. 2) Screening new FHB resistant barley germplasm through extensive systematic screening activities of the barley genetic resources available at the ICARDA gene bank and making that available to the programs cooperating with the USWBSI. 3) Providing agronomically suitable FHB resistant barley germplasm to U.S. collaborators through pre-breeding activities using major USA cultivars. 4) Testing USA barley germplasm at CIMMYT-El Bata field station and/or through the ICARDA International Barley Improvement Network. 5) Testing preliminary resistant germplasm identified through other projects searching for novel sources of resistance in order to determine the GxE interaction of such sources.

Approach:
The plans to accomplish the projects goals include: 1) Resistance to FHB will be incorporated into commercially grown barley varieties for developing countries, specifically identifying and combining resistance to initial infection and resistance to toxin (DON) accumulation. 2) The best sources of FHB resistance will be crossed with U.S. barley parents and segregating populations will be screened for other foliar diseases in Ecuador, Syria, and Mexico and advanced through the two-cycle-a-year breeding shuttle program, in which malting quality will also be pursued. The most promising materials developed in the program, introducedfrom other countries or identified in the gene banks will be made available to the USWBSI researchers every year, seed being sent to UMN.