Durum wheat (T. turgidum ssp. durum) is one of most susceptible cereals to Fusarium head blight (FHB, scab), which is annually responsible for serious economic threats due to losses in yield and decay in grain quality. FHB is also responsible to produce mycotoxins mainly deoxynivalenol (DON), very harmful to human and animal health. The most effective, economically and ecologically sustainable strategy to manage FHB disease is the use of genetic resistance, which is controlled by the combined effects of several quantitative trait loci (QTL) and environment.

A set of 174 genotypes including durum modern cultivars, landraces, and emmer accessions, were selected for CerealMed panel from the GDP (Global Durum wheat Panel) and TGC (Tetraploid wheat Germplasm Collection) and tested to detect resistance-related incidence and severity after natural and artificial inoculation in Cadriano (Northern Italy), Tulln (Austria) and Valenzano-Bari (Southern Italy). Phenotypic evaluation of incidence was detected as the percentage of infected ears on the total number of ears per line, while severity was expressed as the percentage of spike area showing symptoms. Genotypic characterization was carried out on the same CerealMed panel by using trait-associated molecular markers represented by SNPs and candidate genes linked to resistance QTL.

A preliminary evaluation of data derived from incidence and severity phenotyping showed that 6% of genotypes had a high level of resistance, 32% were tolerant and 62% showed susceptibility. Also, promising relations were observed between phenotypical and genotypical data, correlating the level of resistance, the number of resistance QTLs and the candidate genes. Evaluation of CerealMed panel allowed the identification of a set of disease tolerant/resistant genotypes whose adoption could gain advantages for the purposes of sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, and food security. The availability of resistance-associated molecular markers will also support a fast selection and transfer of resistance to cultivated durum wheat varieties, with the aim of increasing their commercial competitiveness in cereal chain.