Evaluation of seedling and adult plant resistance to stem rust in European wheat cultivars

A total of 105 European wheat cultivars were assessed for seedling and adult plant resistance (APR) to stem rust using an array of Australian isolates of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. Twenty-seven cultivars were susceptible at both seedling and adult plant growth stages. Twelve catalogued seedling stem rust resistance genes (Sr7b, Sr8a, Sr8b, Sr9b, Sr9g, Sr11, Sr15, Sr17, Sr29, Sr31, Sr36 and Sr38) were detected in the remaining cultivars, and 13 cultivars carried additional seedling resistance genes that could not be postulated with the isolates used. Low levels of APR to stem rust were found in the cultivars Artaban, Forno, Mec, Mercia, Pandas and Vlada. Although the genetic identity of this APR was not determined, it was clear that the only designated stem rust APR gene Sr2 was not present in any of the cultivars tested based on the absence of the linked traits seedling chlorosis and pseudo black chaff. One of these cultivars, Forno, is believed to carry the leaf rust APR gene Lr34, previously reported to be associated with improved resistance to stem rust. A detailed genetic characterisation of the APRs in these cultivars will be needed to understand their modes of inheritance and relationships with catalogued stem rust resistance genes. Such knowledge may help in developing cultivars with effective gene combinations that confer higher levels of protection.     

Responses of Israeli wild emmers to selected Australian pathotypes of Puccinia species

Summary Seedling responses to one Australian isolate of each of the stripe rust, stem rust and leaf rust pathogens were determined for 541 accessions of T. dicoccoides collected from 23 locations in Israel. Resistance to stripe rust was more frequent than resistance to stem rust. Stripe rust responses showed a wide range of variability indicative of a number of genes for resistance. Comparison of the present stem rust data and that reported for the same accessions tested in Israel indicated that different genes were operating in each country. Only moderately resistant responses to stem rust were obtained. This level of resistance is probably inadequate for transfer to commercial wheat cultivars. We found no potentially useful seedling resistance to leaf rust.     

The role of Lr34 in imparting durable resistance to wheat leaf rust through gene interaction

Summary The leaf rust responses of wheat lines carrying the complementary genes Lr27 and Lr31 and the same genes in a Chinese Spring background which contains Lr34, indicate that Lr34 interacts with the complementary genes to give enhanced levels of field resistance to leaf rust. Lr34, particularly in combination with other genes, is considered to be an important gene for imparting a high degree of durable resistance to leaf rust. Its similarity to Sr2, an adult plant gene for resistance to stem rust and its association with adult plant resistances to stem and stripe rusts are discussed.     

Evaluation of seedling and adult plant resistance to leaf rust in European wheat cultivars

Summary A set of 105 European wheat cultivars, comprising 68 cultivars with known seedling resistance genes and 37 cultivars that had not been tested previously, was tested for resistance to selected Australian pathotypes of P. triticina in seedling greenhouse tests and adult plant field tests. Only 4% of the cultivars were susceptible at all growth stages. Twelve cultivars lacked detectable seedling resistance to leaf rust, and among the remaining cultivars, 10 designated genes were present either singly or in combination. Lr13 was the most frequently detected gene, present in 67 cultivars, followed by the rye-derived gene Lr26, present in 19 cultivars. Other genes present were Lr1, Lr3a, Lr3ka, Lr10, Lr14a, Lr17b, Lr20 and Lr37. There was evidence for unidentified seedling resistance in addition to known resistance genes in 11 cultivars. Field tests with known pathotypes of P. triticina demonstrated that 57% of the cultivars carried adult plant resistance (APR) to P. triticina. The genetic identity of the APR is largely unknown. Genetic studies on selected cultivars with unidentified seedling resistances as well as all of those identified to carry APR are required to determine the number and inheritance of the genes involved, to determine their relationships with previously designated rust resistance genes, and to assess their potential value in breeding for resistance to leaf rust.     

Enhanced leaf rust resistance in wheat conditioned by resistance gene pairs with Lr13

Summary Leaf rust resistance gene Lr13 is present in many North American hard red spring wheat cultivars that have shown durable resistance to leaf rust. Fifteen pair-wise combinations of Lr13 and seedling leaf rust resistance genes were developed by intercrossing near isogenic Thatcher lines. In both seedling and adult plant tests, homozygous paired combinations of specific resistance genes with Lr13 had enhanced resistance relative to either parent to rust isolates that had intermediate avirulent infection types to the additional genes. In field tests, homozygous lines were more resistant than either parent if the additional leaf rust gene conditioned an effective level of resistance when present singly.     

The inheritance of stem rust and leaf rust resistance in some Ethiopian wheat collections

Summary Common and durum wheat populations obtained from Sweden and originally collected in Ethiopia were screened for resistance to steum rust and leaf rust. Resistant selections of common wheat were crossed and backcrossed with either stem rust susceptible RL6071, or leaf rust susceptible Thatcher. Genetic studies, based largely on tests of backcross F₂ families, showed that four of the selections had in common a recessive gene SrA. Plants with this gene were resistant (1⁺ infection type) to all stem rust races tested. This gene was neither Sr26 nor Sr29. The resistance of other selections, based on tests with an array of rust isolates, was due to various combinations of Sr6, 8a, 9a, 9d, 9c, 11, 13, 30, and 36. One of the selections had linked genes, Lr19/Sr25. Another selection had a dominant gene for resistance (;1 infection type) to all the races of leaf rust. With the possible exception of this gene for leaf rust resistance and SrA, no obviously new resistance was found.     

Induced mutagenesis for the development of multiline cultivars in bread wheat

Summary Variation for resistance toPuccinia graminis f.sp.tritici, P. recondita f.sp.tritici andP. striiformis was induced in theTriticum aestivum cultivar Lalbahadur using nitrosomethyl urea. Variations were isolated from the M₂ population in the post-seedling stage in the field when infected with a mixture of races of each of the three rusts. Plants exhibiting simultaneous resistance to stem rust, leaf rust and yellow rust were indentified. Repeated screening in the subsequent generations confirmed the resistance of the mutant lines that are morphologically similar to the parental cultivar. The rust resistance of 20 mutant lines was also confirmed at the seedling stage using individual races of stem rust and leaf rust. The different patterns observed in the mutant lines tested against a wide range of races show that these lines can be used as components of a multiline. The patterns of variation compared with those of the known genes for resistance against the Indian races of the pathogens suggest that the mutations for rust resistance are due to factor different from those already known in bread wheat, providing a broadened genetic base for future breeding programmes.     

Race-specific aspects of partial resistance in wheat to wheat leaf rust,Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici

Summary Partial resistance (PR) in wheat to wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici) is characterized by a slow epidemic build-up despite a susceptible infection type. Two greenhouse tests and two field tests, in which 11 spring wheat cultivars were exposed to five wheat leaf rust races, revealed some indication for race-specificity of PR.In the greenhouse, the expression of PR was highly dependent on the environment. Significant cultivar-race interactions in the first experiment were lost in the second experiment probably due to cultivar-environment and cultivar-race-environment interactions.In the polycyclic field tests several factors played a role in explaining the inconsistency of the cultivar-race interactions, such as differences in initial inoculum, genotypic differences in earliness, interplot interference or environmental conditions.One cultivar-race combination showed a significant but small interaction towards susceptibility in both field experiments. The interaction was probably too small to detect in the monocyclic greenhouse tests. The results do not conflict with the idea that a gene-for-gene relationship could exist between PR-genes in the host and genes in the pathogen.Some problems with regard to the selection of PR in wheat to wheat leaf rust are discussed.     

Evolution of virulence patterns in yellow rust races and its implications for Ereeding for resistance in wheat in Kenya

Summary Virulence patterns of yellow rust isolates collected in Kenya between 1986–1989 were compared with earlier results. The number of virulence factors per race and the range in virulence factors both increased considerably. Before 1976 races carried on average 4.5 to 5.0 virulence factors, whereas the races after 1986 had a mean of 6.5 virulence factors. The range in the number of virulence factors increased from some seven to eight in the first period to 12 in the second out of the 17 evaluated. In the period 1986–1989 another three virulence factors (2, 9 and A) were assessed. All three occurred at a high frequency.Virulence neutralizing the resistance genes Yr2, Yr2+, Yr6, Yr6+, Yr7, Yr7+, Yr8, Yr9, Yr9+ and those in the cultivars Anza (A), Strubes Dickkopf (SD) and Suwon92/Omar (SU) occurred at a high frequency, while virulence for Yr3V, Yr4+, Yr5, CV and SP (resistance in Carstens V and Spaldings Prolific resp.) were not found. The remaining three virulence factors for Yr1, 10 and 3N were rare.In the past ten years the resistance of most released cultivars became ineffective in less than six years. They were shown to carry race-specific major resistance genes such as Yr7+, Yr9+, SD and A. However, in the field, the resistance of the cultivars was not completely neutralized. A residual resistance, ranging from moderate to fairly high, was observed in all cultivars in which the major gene resistances were neutralized by corresponding virulence genes.Other wheat cultivars such as Africa Mayo, Kenya Kudu, Enkoy, Kenya Leopard, Bounty, Frontatch, Bonny and Kenya Plume appeared to keep their resistance over a condiserable period of time. They are considered to be durably resistant to the Kenyan yellow rust populations. This form of resistance, together with the residual resistance, can be recommended for use in breeding programmes.     

Influence of wheat leaf position on leaf rust severity

Summary The relation between flag leaf position and leaf rust severity was investigated in field experiments. Different leaf angles were obtained by attaching ends of flag leaves to strings stretched at different heights along wheat rows. Leaves with angles between lamina and stem of 0° and 45° were significantly less diseased than leaves with horizontal and pendulous positions. In the experiment with seedlings, spore settling and uredia number were significantly lower on erect than on horizontal leaves. The influence of wheat leaf position changes on leaf rust severity was discussed. It has been suggested that breeding of wheat cultivars with erect leaves can improve their resistance to airborne pathogens.     

Global status of wheat leaf rust caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia triticina</Emphasis>

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina is the most common and widely distributed of the three wheat rusts. Losses from leaf rust are usually less damaging than those from stem rust and stripe rust, but leaf rust causes greater annual losses due to its more frequent and widespread occurrence. Yield losses from leaf rust are mostly due to reductions in kernel weight. Many laboratories worldwide conduct leaf rust surveys and virulence analyses. Most currently important races (pathotypes) have either evolved through mutations in existing populations or migrated from other, often unknown, areas. Several leaf rust resistance genes are cataloged, and high levels of slow rusting adult plant resistance are available in high yielding CIMMYT wheats. This paper summarizes the importance of leaf rust in the main wheat production areas as reflected by yield losses, the complexity of virulence variation in pathogen populations, the role cultivars with race-specific resistance play in pathogen evolution, and the control measures currently practiced in various regions of the world.     

Monosomic analyses of stripe rust and leaf rust resistance genes in winter wheat varieties Lüquyu and Yantar

Summary A set of 21 monosomics of Novosadska Rana-1 was used to locate the rust resistance genes of Lüqiyu, a stripe rust resistant line developed by BAU and Yantar, a leaf rust resistant wheat introduced from Bulgaria. The resistance of the former to p. striiformis race C25 was conditioned by a dominant gene located on chromosome 2B, whereas that of the latter to P. recondita race CL3 was controlled by two complementary dominant genes located on chromosomes 5A and 1D, respectively. The relationship of the stripe rust resistance gene in Lüqiyu to Yr5, Yr7 or Yr _Suwon' all located on chromosome 2B is unknown. The two complementary leaf rust resistance factors in Yantar appear to be new.     

Virulence of wheat yellow rust races and resistance genes of wheat cultivars in Ecuador

Virulence factors of the yellow rust, Puccinia striiformis, populations in bread wheat were studied in Ecuador between 1973 and 2004. The number of virulence factors has increased markedly from very few in the early seventies to 16 at the end of the 90s. Isolates belonging to race 0E0 seem to be the ancestor of a rapid virulence evolution of yellow rust in Ecuador. This evolution can be explained by a single step mutation pattern. Virulence to the resistance genes Yr1, Yr2, Yr2+, Yr3V, Yr3ND, Yr4+, Yr6, Yr6+, Yr7, Yr7+, Yr9, Yr9+, Yr11, Yr12, Yr18, Yr24, Yr26 and those in the cultivars Carstens V (YrCV) Strubes Dickkopf (YrSD), Suwon92/Omar (YrSU), Spaldings Prolific (YrSP), Anza (YrA+) and Selkirk (YrSK). was identified. Virulence to Yr5, Yr8, Yr10, and Yr15 was not found. Postulation of resistance genes at the seedling stage of 14 Ecuadorian wheat cultivars indicated that these cultivars carry alone or in combinations the resistance factors Yr1, Yr2, Yr3, Yr6, Yr9 and/or other undesignated resistance factors. Yellow rust evolution in Ecuador has been associated with deployment of these resistance genes. None of these deployed Yr resistance genes are effective to the present yellow rust population in Ecuador.     

Characterization of stem rust resistant derivatives of wheat cultivar Amigo

Summary Originally developed for resistance to greenbug derived from Insave rye, Amigo wheat carries two genes for resistance to stem rust. One of these genes is associated with a rye chromosome 1RS segment carrying the Sec-1 protein marker and presumably greenbug resistance. The second gene which is genetically linked to leaf rust resistance is associated with an Agropyron-derived segment. Rust tests in Canada confirmed that these genes were Sr24 and Lr24. In contrast to Agent and certain 3D/Ag derivatives from Dr. E.R. Sears, the Amigo source of Sr24/Lr24 freely recombined with white seed colour during backcrossing.     

Transfer of rust resistance from Aegilops ovata into bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and molecular characterisation of resistant derivatives

An interspecific cross was made to transfer leaf rust and stripe rust resistance from an accession of Aegilops ovata (UUMM) to susceptible Triticum aestivum (AABBDD) cv. WL711. The F₁was backcrossed to the recurrent wheat parent, and after two to three backcrosses and selfing, rust resistant progenies were selected. The C-banding study in a uniformly leaf rust and stripe rust resistant derivative showed a substitution of the 5M chromosome of Ae. ovata for 5D of wheat. Analysis of rust resistant derivatives with mapped wheat microsatellite makers confirmed the substitution of 5M for 5D. Some of these derivatives also possessed one or more of the three alien translocations involving 1BL, 2AL and 5BS wheat chromosomes which could not be detected through C-banding. A translocation involving 5DSof wheat and the substituted chromosome 5M of Ae. ovata was also observed in one of the derivatives. Susceptibility of this derivative to leaf rust showed that the leaf rust resistance gene(s) is/are located on short arm of 5M chromosome of Ae. ovata. Though the Ae. ovatasegment translocated to 1BL and 2AL did not seem to possess any rust resistance gene, the alien segment translocated to 5BS may also possess gene(s) for rust resistance. The study demonstrated the usefulness of microsatellite markers in characterisation of interspecific derivatives. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

56个小麦品种（系）的苗期和成株抗叶锈鉴定

为了研究中国小麦品种中所携带的抗叶锈基因,对56个小麦品种（系）进行苗期接种推导其中所含有的抗叶锈基因,同时连续2年对供试材料进行田间成株抗叶锈鉴定。通过苗期基因推导结合分子标记辅助检测,结果表明,在36个小麦品种中共鉴定出Lr26、Lr34、Lr1、Lr2a、Lr11、Lr20、Lr30、Lr33和Lr44等9个抗叶锈基因,其中28个品种含有Lr26,Lr1和Lr20分别存在于6个品种中,4个品种含有Lr30,Lr11和Lr44各存在于2个品种中,Lr2a、Lr33和Lr34各自在1个品种中出现。经过2年的田间抗叶锈鉴定共筛选出46个慢锈品种。筛选到的这些苗期和成株抗病品种均可用于小麦持久抗叶锈品种的培育。     

Adult plant leaf rust resistance from 111 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars

Adult plant resistance against Indian leaf rust race 77 and five of its highly virulent variants have been identified from 111 bread wheat cultivars originating from 12 countries. The adult plant resistance of only 16 of these cultivars is due to hypersensitive seedling or adult plant resistance genes. All others expressed nonhypersensitive type of resistance characteristic of the genes Lr34 and Lr46.Forty five of the 111 cultivars showed tip necrosis on flag leaves, a trait linked to the gene Lr34. Therefore, the nonhypersensilive type of resistance of these 45 cultivars is attributed to Lr34. The nonhypersensitive resistance of the remaining cultivars is likely to be due to the gene(s) different than Lr34. The reaction pattern of these 111 cultivars to six races suggests the presence of at least six to seven new hypersensitive adult plant resistance genes and at least three new hypersensitive seedling resistance genes. The known genes Lr10, Lr23 and Lr26 were detected frequently but these genes did not contribute towards the adult plant resistance of any of the 111 cultivars. Based on the presence of new genes for hypersensitive and nonhypersensitive type of resistance, the 111 cultivars have been classified into 31 diverse resistance groups. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Gametocidal effects and resistance to wheat leaf rust and stem rust in derivatives of a Triticum turgidum ssp. durum/Aegilops speltoides hybrid

Summary Genes for leaf rust and stem rust resistance and segregation distortion (Gc), that seemed to derive from an Aegilops spetroides ssp. ligustica accession, were transferred to common wheat. While the advanced backcrosses had normal meioses and 42 chromosomes, high levels of male and female sterility, abnormal endosperm development and chromosome aberrations were evident. These effects were more pronounced in Gc-heterozygotes than in homozygotes. Gametes without Gc genes did not survive, and the Gc-associated defects were always inherited with the resistance. Since the resistance genes were effective against local pathotypes of the leaf rust and stem rust pathogens, an attempt was made to disrupt the Gc-system through irradiation, treatment with the mutagen N-nitroso-N-methyl-urea or growing the material at elevated temperatures. A very low frequency of the treated material showed slightly better fertility and seed development. However, these effects did not persist in subsequent generations and were apparently not strong enough to allow the recovery of segregates which had lost the Gc gene(s).     

Resistance to leaf rust in cultivars of bread wheat and durum wheat grown in Spain

A set of bread wheat and durum wheat cultivars adapted to Spanish conditions was tested for resistance against leaf rust caused by different pathotypes of Puccinia triticina in field trials and in growth chamber studies. Lower levels of resistance were found in durum wheat than in bread wheat. The most frequent Lr genes found in bread wheat were Lr1, Lr10, Lr13, Lr20, Lr26 and Lr28. In durum wheat, additional resistance genes that differed from the known Lr genes were identified. The level of partial resistance to leaf rust was in general low, although significant levels were identified in some bread wheat and durum wheat cultivars.     

Genes for wheat stem rust resistance postulated in German cultivars and their efficacy in seedling and adult‐plant field tests

Stem rust of wheat (caused by Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici) gained high international attention in the last two decades, but does not occur regularly in Germany. Motivated by a regional epidemic in 2013, we analysed 15 spring and 82 winter wheat cultivars registered in Germany for their resistance to stem rust at the seedling stage and tested 79 of these winter wheat cultivars at the adult‐plant stage. A total of five seedling stem rust resistance genes were postulated: Sr38 occurred most frequently (n = 29), followed by Sr31 (n = 11) and Sr24 (n = 8). Sr7a and Sr8a occurred only in two spring wheat genotypes each. Four cultivars had effective seedling resistance to all races evaluated that could only be explained by postulating additional resistance genes (‘Hyland’, ‘Pilgrim PZO’, ‘Tybalt’) or unidentified gene(s) (‘Memory’). The three winter wheat cultivars (‘Hyland’ ‘Memory’ and ‘Pilgrim PZO’) were also highly resistant at the adult‐plant stage; ‘Tybalt’ was not tested. Resistance genes Sr24 and Sr31 highly protected winter wheat cultivars from stem rust at the adult‐plant stage in the field. Disease responses of cultivars carrying Sr38 varied. Mean field stem rust severity of cultivars without postulated seedling resistance genes ranged from 2.71% to 41.51%, nine of which were significantly less diseased than the most susceptible cultivar. This suggests adult‐plant resistance to stem rust may be present in German wheat cultivars.