Wheat breeding for Hessian fly resistance at ICARDA

Hessian fly (HF), Mayetiola destructor (Say) is an important pest of wheat in North Africa, America, Southern Europe, Northern Kazakhstan, Northwestern China, and New Zealand. It can cause up to 30% yield losses sometimes result complete crop failure if infestation coincides with young stage the crop. Studies to-date have shown availability genetic diversity resources (landraces, wild relatives, cultivars, etc.) for resistance fly. About 37 genes been reported from these fly, which, some deployed singly or combination breeding programs develop high yielding varieties HF. Deployment resistant different agro-ecologies other integrated management measures plays key role control This paper summarizes importance, life cycle, mechanisms resistance, gene mining, efforts HF resistance.