Development of RAPD markers associated with common bunt resistance to race T1 (Tilletia tritici) in spelt wheat

Common bunt caused by Tilletia tritici and T. laevis has occurred worldwide and reduces yield and quality in common and durum wheats. The development of DNA markers linked to bunt resistance to race T1 in the cross, ‘Laura’(S) בRL5407’ (R), was carried out in this study based on the single head derived F_4:5 and single seed derived F_4:6 populations. Bulked segregant analysis was used to identify two random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers linked to the gene for resistance to race T1 in the spelt wheat ‘RL5407′. The two markers identified, UBC548₅₉₀ and UBC274₉₈₈, flanked the resistance gene with a map distance of 9.1 and 18.2 cM, respectively. The former was linked in repulsion phase to bunt resistance while the later was in coupling phase. The two RAPD markers and the common bunt‐resistance gene all segregated in Mendelian fashion. Use of these two RAPD markers together could assist in incorporating the bunt‐resistance gene from spelt wheat into common wheat cultivars by means of marker‐assisted selection.