Genes for Powdery Mildew Resistance in Cultivars of Spring Wheat

Twenty-three cultivars of spring wheat were inoculated with nineteen different powdery mildew isolates; their ruction patterns hive been compared with those of twenty-two cultivars/lines carrying identified powdery mildew resistance genes. Applying the gene-for-gene hypothesis, it is evident that three cultivars have none of the resistance genes used, seven others (including ‘Solo’) may carry Pm4b, only. The resistance pattern of ‘Selpek’ is identical to A/-1 resistant cultivars of winter wheat and may be explained by the presence of Pm5. The resistance pattern of Pm5 (Mt-i) cultivars is very different from a number of ‘Kolibri’-related cultivars of spring wheat. Since either all or nothing of that specific pattern has been transferred to all cross progenies of ‘Kolibri’, a single gene is assumed to oe responsible for it, preliminarily designated as Ml-k. The cultivar ‘Mephisto’ carries the ‘Normandie’ resistance (Pwl 2, 9). In five cultivars to spring wheat the combined effects of at least two of the above-mentioned sources have been found. Despite the fact that ‘Normandie’ and ‘Sappo’ are not closely related. ‘Sappo’ shows the complete ‘Normandie’ resistance pattern plus that of Pm4b. The same is true for ‘Planet’ and ‘Walter’.