Inheritance of resistance to Gibberella ear rot and deoxynivalenol contamination in five flint maize crosses

Gibberella ear rot (GER) of maize caused by Fusarium graminearum leads to contamination of grains with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON), thus reducing the quality of food and feed. A generation means analysis was conducted to estimate gene effects influencing the resistance to GER and DON contamination in flint maize germplasm adapted to Central Europe. Five crosses of two resistant and two susceptible flint inbred lines were developed, and each cross comprised both parent lines (P1, P2) as well as the F-1 and F-2 generation and the first backcross to both parents (BC1-P1, BC1-P2). All entries were grown in four environments and artificially inoculated with F. graminearum. There was a prevalence of additive gene action, while significant dominance effects were found in only one cross for resistance to GER, but in four crosses for resistance to DON contamination. Owing to the prevalence of additive gene action, the prospects are good to improve the resistance of the flint germplasm and to accumulate more favourable gene combinations in future breeding lines.