Gene expression in near isogenic spring wheat lines carrying or not the 2DL FHB resistance QTL during early infection with Fusarium graminearum, the major causal agent of fusarium head blight in wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a major disease of cereal crops caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum (Fg). FHB affects the flowering heads (or spikes). This study compare the gene expression profile in wheat spikelets from near isogenic spring wheat lines carrying or not the FHB resistance QTL 2DL, after inoculation with water (H2O) or Fg; two inoculation methods were also compared, point and spray inoculation. We used the Affymetrix wheat array to compare wheat spikelets from the near isogenic spring wheat lines 2-2890 (nul for FHB resistance QTLs 2DL, 3BS and 5A), 2-2618 (carrying 2DL QTL; nul for QTLs 3BS, 5A; sister line to 2-2890) and 2-2674 (nul for QTLs 2DL, 3BS and 5A), after inoculation with water (H2O) or Fg. Two inoculation methods were also compared, point and spray inoculation. Samplings were done at 4 days (d) after inoculation, for 2 (point inoculation) or 3 (spray inoculation) biological replicates