Black Barley as a Means of Mitigating Deoxynivalenol Contamination

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) in many countries. The disease can result in mycotoxin contamination such as deoxynivalenol (DON) in the grain. The objective of this study was to determine if black barley is more resistant to DON accumulation than yellow barley as the former contains a high level of phenolic compounds. In one experiment, 100 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were derived from each of the two barley crosses: AC Klinck/CH9403‐2 and AC Legend/CH9403‐2 with half of them being black and the other half yellow. These lines along with their parents were evaluated for resistance to DON accumulation under natural infection conditions at Harrington (Prince Edward Island) for 3 yr (2005–2007). They were also evaluated for resistance to FHB incidence and DON accumulation under artificial inoculation conditions at Ottawa (Ontario) in 2005 and 2006 and at Hangzhou (China) in 2005–2006. Black RILs on average contained 17 to 59% less DON than yellow RILs under natural conditions in both crosses in two tests. Black RILs had 2 to 20% lower FHB incidence than yellow RILs in both crosses in two tests and contained 16 to 18% less DON in one test. In another experiment, 26 hulless accessions were evaluated at Ottawa in 2011 and 2012. Black accessions on average contained 53% less DON than the yellow accessions in 2012 and they contained 46% less DON when the DON data were combined over 2 yr. In conclusion, black barley can be used as a means of mitigating DON contamination.