Project Number: 3640-21220-021-08
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Feb 01, 2011
End Date: Jan 31, 2014

Objective:
Find associations between molecular polymorphism (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) with leaf rust and stem rust resistance in diverse wheat germplasm in order to find new genes for leaf rust and stem rust resistance in wheat.

Approach:
Test wheat germplasm (6,0000 entries) from core collection at NSGC-USDA-ARS Aberdeen for resistance to wheat leaf rust in greenhouse and field plot tests. Spring wheat lines (ca. 2500) will be grown in St. Paul, Minnesota and evaluated for field resistance over two years to a mixture of current leaf rust races. 2,500 winter wheat lines will be evaluated over two years in plots at Castroville, Texas. 500 entries selected for drought tolerance, and 500 entries selected for leaf rust resistance will also be tested for resistance in field plot tests. All entries will be tested as seedling plants in greenhouse tests with a mixture of leaf rust races to determine the presence of effective seedling resistance genes. Phenotype data from field plot tests and seedling tests will be used to determine which entries have effective adult plant resistance and which have effective seedling resistance. The rust data will be combined with the single nucleotide polymorphism genotype data for all entries generated by USDA-ARS Wheat genotyping labs for association mapping to identify new genes for leaf rust resistance.