Genetics of Resistance to Hessian Fly Derived from Dawn Winter Wheat in Spring Wheat Crosses

Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), has been a serious insect pest of cornnon wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) since it was first identified in the United States over 200 years ago. Losses are difficult to estimate due to geographical variability in populations but are large enough to characterize this pest as one of economic importance. Dahms in 1967 estimated the direct average annual loss in the United States at 15 million bushels. The last serious outbreak in the United States was reported in 1978 in the spring wheat producing regions of north central and northeastern South Dakota where conservative loss estimates exceeded 10 million bushels (. As a result of the outbreak in South Dakota spring wheats, all lines in the spring wheat breeding program were screened for Hessian fly resistance. Resistance was found in spring by winter crosses involving \u27Dawn\u27 winter wheat. The resistance appeared to be operating as a single dominant gene based upon reactions of F2 derived families. The objective of this study was twofold: 1) to characterize the inheritance of resistance to Hessian fly derived from Dawn winter wheat in crosses with spring wheats; 2) to determine which gene(s) in Dawn winter wheat confer resistance to Hessian fly