Strengthening Resistance of Triticale to Powdery Mildew and Fusarium Head Blight by Integrating Agronomic and Genetic Levers

Triticale faces two major diseases—powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis and Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) mainly due to Fusarium graminearum and Microdochium spp. Over three years, cultivar mixtures were tested and pathogen virulence was assessed on wheat differential hosts and triticale collections. For FHB, preceding crops and lack of tillage emerged as key risk factors for deoxynivalenol accumulation. A novel imaging method coupled with Fusanote® software facilitated symptom scoring under semi-controlled inoculations. QTL analyses across multiple populations identified promising molecular markers. Leveraging these findings, triticale collections were genotyped and new primary triticale lines were developed by crossing wheat and rye for future breeding.