The effect of quantitative wheat resistance on pathogen aggressiveness

Isolates were collected from 5 different wheat varieties with varying levels of resistance across Illinois that showed Fusarium Head Blight symptoms. Aggressiveness assays were performed with 31 isolates from a highly susceptible wheat variety and 26 isolates from moderately resistant varieties. The isolates were whole genome sequenced and a scan for selection was performed. The main objectives were to determine how host resistance affects pathogen aggressiness and to identify genes that were under selection in the populations of isolates from the differing levels of wheat resistance. Understanding how quantitative host resistance impacts pathogen aggressiveness is an important aspect of disease control.