Screening Service for Hessian fly Resistance
The USDA Hessian fly research lab in Manhattan, Kansas, provides screening service to breeders in the great plane and Western regions. Each year, over 5000 breeding lines are sent to this lab for evaluation from breeders in Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and other states. In the past 10 years, over 20 Hessian fly resistance cultivars and 10 germplasm have been released as a result of this service and collaboration.
Resistance screening is carried out in the USDA Hessian Fly Green House. The procedure for submitting seeds to the screening service is described as below. At present, only phenotypic screening is available. Markers linked to specific resistance genes are currently being developed.
Procedure and requirement for seed submission for Hessian fly resistance screening:
- Contact Ming Chen prior you send seeds out so that a time schedule can be arranged for your samples. The screening season is from November to next March.
- 20 seeds or more are needed for each screening for accurate evaluation.
- If you need the resistance plants to be saved and shipped to you, you need to specifically say so and provide the information as to whom and where the plants should be shipped.
- State which resistance gene(s) are in your samples or at least which biotype you prefer to be used for the screening.
- Send your samples to the following address:
Infested plants ready to be examined for
resistant or susceptible phenotype
Wheat plants after phenotype examiniation
Wheat seedlings for Hessian fly resistance screening
Hessian fly infestation under a tent