Multiple methods for varietal resistance assessment of durum wheat cultivars against Fusarium culmorum the causal agent of Fusarium head blight and crown rot in Algeria

This research was conducted to evaluate multiple methods and parameters for assessment of varietal resistance of durum wheat against FCR and FHB. Fusarium culmorum was used in three susceptibility tests. Several phenotypic parameters (%GI, AUDPC1, DS, AUDPC2, %TKWloss, %FDK) were measured. Results revealed no significant correlation between the different parameters, except %GI and AUDPC1. This result indicates that in vitro Petri dish test can be used to predict the varietal resistance against the initial seed infection by F. culmorum. This study highlighted the complexity of resistance testing for FCR and FHB, and demonstrated the need to use as many resistance testing protocols as possible. [Display omitted] •New technique of crown inoculation by a fungus plug, used for the first time in this work.•Petri-Dish test allows predicting varietal resistance of durum wheat against initial seed infection by Fusarium culmorum. .•Complexity of double resistance testing for both FCR and FHB together.•Absence of a link between sensitivity to FCR and FHB.•Visual assessment of FCR and FHB diseases does not always reflect yield losses.