Genetics of resistance in the wheat cultivar chhoti lerma against stem rust race 122

Summary Genetics of rust resistance against stem rust race 122 in Chhoti Lerma was studied both by conventional and aneuploid analysis. Observations on F₁, F₂ and F₂ backcross progenies revealed the operation of two recessive genes, controlling resistance in Chhoti Lerma. Monosomic analysis confirmed the operation of two recessive genes conferring resistance to race 122 located on chromosomes 1D and 7D. A minor gene or modifier was also located on chromosome 1B. This was concluded from the fact that F₂ of mono's x Chhoti Lerma exhibited skewness in favour of resistant plants.     

Molecular mapping of a stripe rust resistance gene in wheat cultivar Wuhan 2

Stripe rust (or yellow rust), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat worldwide. Growing resistant cultivars is the best approach to control the disease. To identify and map genes for stripe rust resistance in wheat cultivar ‘Wuhan 2', an F₂ population was developed from a cross between the cultivar and susceptible cultivar Mingxian 169. The parents, 179 F₂ plants and their derived F_2:3 lines were evaluated for responses to Chinese races CYR30 and CYR31 of the pathogen in a greenhouse. A recessive gene for resistance was identified. DNA bulked segregant analysis was applied and resistance gene analog polymorphism (RGAP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) techniques were used to identify molecular markers linked to the resistance gene. A genetic map consisting of five RGAP and six SSR markers was constructed. The recessive gene, designated Yrwh2, was located on the short arm of chromosome 3B and flanked by SSR markers Xwmc540 and Xgwm566 at 5.9 and 10.0 cM, respectively. The chromosomal location of the resistance gene and its close marker suggest that the locus is different from previously reported stripe rust resistance genes Yr30, QYr.ucw-3BS, Yrns-B1, YrRub and QYrex.wgp-3BL previously mapped to chromosome 3B. Yrwh2 and its closely linked markers are potentially useful for developing stripe rust resistance wheat cultivars if used in combination with other genes.     

Race non-specific resistance to rust diseases in CIMMYT spring wheats

Rust diseases continue to cause significant losses to wheat production worldwide. Although the life of effective race-specific resistance genes can be prolonged by using gene combinations, an alternative approach is to deploy varieties that posses adult plant resistance (APR) based on combinations of minor, slow rusting genes. When present alone, APR genes do not confer adequate resistance especially under high disease pressure; however, combinations of 4?C5 such genes usually result in ??near-immunity?? or a high level of resistance. Although high diversity for APR occurs for all three rusts in improved germplasm, relatively few genes are characterized in detail. Breeding for APR to leaf rust and stripe rust in CIMMYT spring wheats was initiated in the early 1970s by crossing slow rusting parents that lacked effective race-specific resistance genes to prevalent pathogen populations and selecting plants in segregating populations under high disease pressure in field nurseries. Consequently most of the wheat germplasm distributed worldwide now possesses near-immunity or adequate levels of resistance. Some semidwarf wheats such as Kingbird, Pavon 76, Kiritati and Parula show high levels of APR to stem rust race Ug99 and its derivatives based on the Sr2-complex, or a combination of Sr2 with other uncharacterized slow rusting genes. These parents are being utilized in our crossing program and a Mexico-Kenya shuttle breeding scheme is used for selecting resistance to Ug99. High frequencies of lines with near-immunity to moderate levels of resistance are now emerging from these activities. After further yield trials and quality assessments these lines will be distributed internationally through the CIMMYT nursery system.     

Influence of race and post infection temperature on two components of partial resistance to wheat leaf rust in seedlings of wheat

Summary Components of partial resistance, infection frequency and latency period, were determined in 71 winter and spring wheat genotypes in the seedling stage, after infection with three races of leaf rust (Felix 3B, Clement B and Betuwe 85C) at three different day/night temperature regimes (24/18°C, 18/12°C and 12/6°C). The genotypes were split into two groups and two separate experiments were carried out. Five genotypes, SVP 84039, Akabozu, Banco, BH 1146 and Orso, conferred a low infection frequency and a long latency period and Westphal 12A a long latency period, indicating a relatively high level of partial resistance. The correlation coefficient between infection frequency and latency period was low. Race-specificity was not found. There was a significant temperature effect on the latency period. In the second experiment the temperature x genotype interaction was significant. Temperature-response functions of transformed data demonstrated that the latency periods of four relatively resistant genotypes, Westphal 12A, Banco, BH 1146 and Orso and of Sarno and Mirela were most sensitive to temperature. The range between the genotypes with the longest and the shortest latency period was highest at 12°C. Therefore, low temperature regimes are preferred to distinguish differences in level of partial resistance.     

Molecular mapping of Aegilops speltoides derived leaf rust resistance gene Lr28 in wheat

In a segregating homozygous F₂ population of bread wheat involving a leaf rust resistance gene Lr28 derived from Aegilops speltoides, six randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, three each in coupling and repulsion phase were identified as linked to Lr28, mapped to a region spanning 32 cM including the locus. The F₂ and F₃ populations were studied in the phytotron challenged with the most virulent pathotype 77-5 of leaf rust. A coupling phase linked RAPD marker S464₇₂₁ and a repulsion phase linked RAPD marker S326₅₅₀ flanked the gene Lr28 by a distance of 2.4± 0.016 cM on either side. The flanking markers genetically worked as co-dominant markers when analyzed together after separate amplification in the F₂ population by distinguishing the homozygotes from the heterozygotes and increased the efficiency of marker assisted selection by reducing the false positives and negatives. One of the three RAPD markers, S421₆₄₀ was converted to locus specific SCAR marker SCS421₆₄₀ which was further truncated by designing primers internal from both ends of the original RAPD amplicon to eliminate a non-specific amplification of nearly same size. The truncated polymorphic sequence characterized amplified region marker (TPSCAR) SCS421₅₇₀ was 70 bp smaller, but resulted in a single band polymorphism specific to Lr28 resistance. The TPSCAR marker was validated for its specificity to the gene Lr28 in nine different genetic backgrounds and on 43 of the 50 Lr genes of both native and alien origin, suggesting the utility of the SCAR markers in pyramiding leaf rust resistance genes in wheat.     

Present status of genetics of rust resistance in flax

Summary Present knowledge of host genes conferring resistance to rust in flax and their genetics are reviewed. There are at least 34 genes conferring resistance to rust occurring in seven groups, namely, K, L, M, N, P, D and Q. Expression of these host genes is affected by temperature, genetic background and by the inhibitor gene present in certain rust strains. Recombination analysis indicates that genes within each of the M and N groups are probably closely linked and that of the L group are genetically complex. When testcross progeny between two genes of the L group were screened, susceptible and modified recombinants were recovered. Some of these susceptible recombinants yielded rare resistant revertants in their progeny. Mechanism of such reversion is not defined but appears to follow a definite pattern. It is also indicated that some of the recombinants represent new specificity. A molecular approach of cloning host genes in flax is described.     

Induction of mutations for rust resistance in wheat

About 25,000 M₂ and M₃ seedlings of the bread wheat variety C. 591 were tested for resistance to 3 races of stem rust. A mutant with resistance to race 40 of stem rust was found in a family derived from treatment with 16,000r of X-rays. No other mutant was found. Albina seedlings were found to be totally free of rust infection. From the present study it seems that mutations for rust resistance can be induced in bread wheat by ionizing radiations but the frequency of such mutations appears to be very low.     

Inheritance of wheat stem rust resistance in triticale

Genetic studies were conducted on nine triticale cultivars and lines lo determine the presence and identity of stem rust resistance genes. The lines were intercrossed and their F₂ and F₃ generations were tested with selected pathotypes of Puccinia graminis tritici. Segregation in seedling tesis showed the presence of two new genes SrLal and SrLa2 in ‘Lasko’, SrBj anil SrJ in ‘Bejon’. SrVen in ‘Currency’, SrBj in ‘Abacus’ and ‘RM4’ and SrNin in ‘Tahara’, ‘Maidan’ and ‘Madonna’ SrBj, SrNin, SrLal and SrLa2 were genetically independent and each conferred resistance to the currently important Australian P. graminis tritici pt 34-2.12.13, whereas SrJ and SrVen conferred moderately susceptible reactions to the same pathotype. SrVen segregated independently of SrBj, but the relationship of SrVen with the other genes was noi determined. The typical low infection types conferred by SrBj and SrJ were best expressed at temperatures above 21 C, Prolamine separations nsinj; sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel elcclrophoresis confirmed that SiNin and SrBj were located in chromosome 2R. The gene SrLal behaved as a third allele at or near the Sr27, SrSatu locus in chromosome 3R, The present work demonstrated that chromosomes 2R and 3R are important bearers of genes Tor stem rust resistance in hexaploid iriticale.     

Partial resistance to wheat leaf rust in 18 spring wheat cultivars

Summary Eighteen spring wheat cultivars were tested in microfields and race nurseries for their partial resistance PR to wheat leaf rust under low and high disease pressure respectively. Large differences existed between the 18 cultivars, Skalavatis 56 being the most susceptible and Ponta Grossa 1 being the most resistant cultivar. Of the three epidemic parameters, disease severity (DS) at the time that the susceptible check was severely diseased and area under the transformed disease severity curve (AUTC) and the logistic growth rate (r), AUTC and DS were highly correlated. Both seemed to be reliable estimators of PR but DS should be preferred for economical reasons. The logistic growth rate seemed to be unsuitable as an estimator of partial resistance.High and low disease pressure gave similar cultivar ranking. PR can be screened and selected equally well in race nurseries with low space, low time and low cost input as in microfields with high space, time and cost input.Cultivar differences in development rate had a large impact on the cultivar differences for amount of disease and can therefore greatly bias the estimation of cultivar resistance. The resistance of early cultivars tended to be underestimated whereas the resistance of late cultivars tended to be overestimated. The effect of differences in developmental rate was most pronounced in the flag leaf. It is advisable to avoid the assessment of disease levels on the flag leaf only and to incorporate in the tests several susceptible and resistant checks that cover the range of development rates in the material to be selected, because otherwise selection for resistance will tend to select also for lateness.Regression of the epidemiological parameters on three components of partial resistance revealed that latency period (LP) is an important factor in determining the resistance observed in the field explaining on average 67% of the observed variation. Adding infection frequency (IF) and urediosorus size (US) to the linear model increased the proportion of the observed variation in the field explained by the components to 80%. This result supports the idea that the components of PR inherit independently, at least, in part.     

Molecular markers for the identification of resistance genes and marker-assisted selection in breeding wheat for leaf rust resistance

The resistance genes Lr9, Lr24, Lr25, Lr29, Lr35 and Lr37, which were not previously utilised in Hungary, have been incorporated into four Martonvásár winter wheat cultivars using marker-assisted selection with PCR-based markers. In the course of a backcross programme, the genes were transferred into Martonvásár wheat varieties and various BC generations were produced. Work aimed at pyramiding resistance genes is currently underway in Martonvásár, and plants containing the gene combinations Lr9 + Lr24, Lr9 + Lr25 and Lr9 + Lr29 are now available. From the BC₂F₄ generation of the ‘Mv Emma’*3/’R.L.6010’ combination (‘R.L.6010’ is the donor of the Lr9 gene) 287 lines were tested for leaf rust resistance in an artificially inoculated nursery. A co-dominant primer combination was designed to identify both resistant and susceptible offsprings. The results of resistance tests and molecular marker detection agreed in most cases. Designated leaf rust resistance genes were identified with molecular markers in wheat varieties and breeding lines. The Lr26 and Lr34 resistance genes occur frequently in the Martonvásár gene pool, and the presence of the Lr37 gene has also been detected in a number of Hungarian genotypes.     

Environmental stability of partial resistance in spring wheat to wheat leaf rust

Summary Five spring wheat cultivars differing in partial resistance (PR) to wheat leaf rust were tested at Wageningen (the Netherlands) on a sandy and a clay site, El Batan (CIMMYT, Mexico) and Ponta Grossa (Brazil) over two years. The cultivars were Skalavatis 56, Little Club (both very susceptible), Westphal 12A, Akabozu and BH 1146 (all three with high levels of PR). The results showed that PR was expressed at all four locations in both years. The level of expression was influenced by the environment but the cultivar ranking was hardly affected. Selection for PR in the field can therefore be carried out over a wide range of environments.     

Molecular mapping of adult plant stripe rust resistance in wheat and identification of pyramided QTL genotypes

The Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) pathotype, 134 E16A+, detected in 2002 in Australia, produced relatively lower and higher adult plant stripe rust responses, respectively, on cultivars Kukri and Janz in comparison to the pre-2002 Pst pathotype 110 E143A+. Molecular mapping of adult plant stripe rust response variation among 180 Kukri/Janz-derived doubled haploid lines over 4 years, two each with Pst pathotypes 110 E143A+ and 134 E16A+, was performed. QYr.sun-7B and QYr.sun-7D were consistently contributed by Kukri and Janz, respectively. QYr.sun-7D corresponded to the genomic location of Yr18 and QYr.sun-7B remains to be formally named. QYr.sun-1B, QYr.sun-5B, and QYr.sun-6B were detected during more than one season irrespective of the Pst pathotypes used, whereas QYr.sun-3B was identified only during the 2003 crop season. QYr.sun-1A contributed by Janz, and QYr.sun-2A from Kukri, were detected only against Pst pathotypes 110 E143A+ and 134 E16A+, respectively. The DH lines showing better resistance than the either parent carried combinations of 4 to 6 QTL. These lines are currently being used as stripe rust resistance donors in wheat breeding programs.     

Comparative genetics and disease resistance in wheat

The hexaploid wheat genome is too complex for direct map-basedcloning and model genomes have to be used to isolate genes from wheat.Comparative genomic analysis at the genetic map level has shown extensiveconservation of the gene order between the different grass genomes inmany chromosomal regions. However, little is known about the geneorganization in grass genomes at the microlevel. We have investigated themicrocollinearity at Lrk gene loci in the genomes of four grass species:wheat, barley, maize and rice. The Lrk genes, which encodereceptor-like kinases, were found to be consistently associated with anothertype of receptor-like kinase (Tak) on chromosome groups 1 and 3 inTriticeae and on chromosomes homoeologous to Triticeae group 3 in theother grass genomes. On Triticeae chromosome group 1, Tak and Lrk together with genes putatively encoding NBS/LRR proteins form acluster of genes. Comparison of the gene composition at orthologous Lrk loci in wheat, barley and rice revealed a maximal gene density of onegene per 5 kb. We conclude that small and large grass genomes containregions which are highly enriched in genes. Microrearrangements betweendifferent grass genomes have been found and therefore, the choice of agood model genome is critical. We have recently started to work on theT. monococcum model genome and confirmed its usefulness foranalysis of the Lr10 leaf rust disease resistance locus in wheat.     

Transgressive segregation for resistance to yellow rust in wheat

Summary Crosses were made between wheat varieties Joss Cambier, Nord Desprez and Maris Bilbo, all classified as susceptible to yellow rust in field tests, and between Cappelle Desprez and Maris Huntsman, both classified as moderately and durably resistant. Selection for resistance to yellow rust among the progeny was carried out using races of Puccinia striiformis able to overcome all the known race-specific components of resistance in both parents of each cross. Lines with greater resistance than in both parents were obtained from each cross, those with greatest resistance being obtained from the cross between the moderately resistant parents. Three lines selected for resistance from the cross of Joss Cambier with Nord Desprez and one from the cross of Cappelle Desprez with Maris Huntsman, together with the parents, were tested in the field with 12 races of P. striiformis. Nord Desprez possessed a previously undetected race-specific component. The selected lines also displayed race-specific resistance, some of which was clearly related to race-specificity of the parents, and a component of resistance, greater than in both parents, that was effective against all 12 races. The possible origin and potential durability of this transgressive level of resistance is discussed. It is suggested that such transgressive resistance is more likely to be durable if it is derived from parents that have shown durable resistance.     

Genomic selection for durable stem rust resistance in wheat

Inheritance of stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) resistance in wheat can be either qualitative or quantitative. While quantitative disease resistance is believed to be more durable, it is more difficult to evaluate if it is expressed only in mature plants, i.e. adult plant resistance (APR). Marker-assisted selection (MAS) methods for APR would be useful; however, the multigenic nature of APR impedes the use of MAS efforts that aim to pyramid only a few target genes. A promising alternative is genomic selection (GS), which utilizes genome-wide marker coverage to predict genotypic values for quantitative traits. In turn, GS can reduce the selection cycle length of a breeding program for traits like APR that could take several seasons to generate reliable phenotypes. In this paper, we describe the GS process for use in crop improvement, both specifically for APR and in general. We also propose a GS–based wheat breeding scheme for quantitative resistance to stem rust that, when compared to current breeding schemes, can reduce cycle time by up to twofold and facilitates pyramiding of major genes with APR genes. Thus, GS could be an important tool for achieving the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative’s (BGRI) goal of developing durable stem rust resistance in wheat.     

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.     

Components of adult plant resistance to leaf rust in wheat

Summary Winter wheat genotypes were tested for resistance in the field by assessing the percentage sporulating leaf area after infection with wheat leaf rust. The disease level in the first field trial was too low for selection. In the second field trial a low sporulating leaf area was found on several genotypes showing a susceptible infection type. These genotypes possibly have partial resistance. Six genotypes possibly possess adult plant resistance, as they showed a resistant infection type and a low sporulating leaf area.The latency period, infection frequency and uredosorus size of sixteen genotypes were determined in the greenhouse after infection with two races of leaf rust at two temperature regimes. The temperature × genotype interaction, found for latency period and infection frequency, was mostly influenced by the cultivars Cerco, Tundra and Miller. Adult plant resistance was postulated for four genotypes whereas another four appeared to have partial resistance.Only one of the sixteen genotypes (Apexal) possessed adult plant resistance and two genotypes (Arminda and Cappelle Desprez) showed partial resistance in the field as well as in the greenhouse.     

Inheritance of temperature-sensitive leaf rust resistance and adult plant stripe rust resistance in common wheat cultivar PBW343

Genetic analysis of common wheat cultivar PBW343 confirmed temperature-sensitive leaf rust resistance and adult plant stripe rust resistance. At low temperatures, PBW343 was resistant to P. triticina (Ptr) pathotype (pt.) 121R63-1, and at high temperature it was resistant to Ptr pt. 121R127. The low temperature resistance to pt. 121R63-1 was attributed to interaction between dominant and recessive genes. The dominant gene involved in low-temperature resistance to pt. 121R63-1 also conferred resistance to pt. 45R35. The high-temperature resistance to Ptr pt. 121R127 was governed by a different single partially dominant gene. Agra Local (a commonly used susceptible check) and IWP94 (a leaf rust differential used in India) are also resistant to pt. 121R127 at high temperatures. An allelism test indicated that PBW343 and IWP94 possessed a common gene for high temperature resistance to this pathotype. The adult plant stripe rust resistance against P. striiformis (Pst) was possibly conferred by one gene in addition to Yr27.     

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.