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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Cereal Disease Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300368
Title: Russian populations of Puccinia triticina in distant regions are not differentiated for virulence and molecular genotype

Author
item Kolmer, James
item KABDULOVA, MARGARITA - Moscow Agricultural Academy
item MUSTAFINA, M - Moscow Agricultural Academy
item ZHEMCHUZHINA, N - Moscow Agricultural Academy
item DUBOVOY, V - Moscow Agricultural Academy

Submitted to: Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2014
Publication Date: 6/14/2014
Citation: Kolmer, J.A., Kabdulova, M., Mustafina, M.A., Zhemchuzhina, N.S., Dubovoy, V. 2014. Russian populations of Puccinia triticina in distant regions are not differentiated for virulence and molecular genotype. Plant Pathology. Available: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppa.12248/abstract.

Interpretive Summary: Wheat is attacked by Puccinia triticina, which is the scientific name of the fungus that causes the disease wheat leaf rust. This disease occurs in the U.S. and throughout the world. The purpose of this study was to genetically characterize the P. triticina population in Russia using DNA based molecular markers and by testing individual isolates for their ability to attack different resistance genes in wheat. Nintynine isolates of P. triticina from Russia were placed into two genetically distinct groups. Both groups were widley distributed across Russia. The DNA patterns of the isolates from Russia will be used to compare P. triticina populations in the U.S. and the world to determine how this fungus migrates, and to determine the origin of any new biotypes that may be found in the U.S.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether genetically distinct groups of Puccinia triticina are present in four regions of Russia. Collections of P. triticina were obtained from the Central, North Caucasus, Volga, and West Siberia regions of Russia from 2006 to 2010. Ninety-nine single uredinial isolates were tested for virulence phenotype with 20 Thatcher near-isogenic lines of wheat. Forty-one virulence phenotypes were found in the four regions, with eight in common between the widely separated Central and Volga regions. A total of 72 isolates were tested for molecular genotype with 23 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer pairs, and 66 isolates were used for further analysis after clone correction for virulence and molecular genotype. There was no grouping of SSR genotypes based on geographical region. Analysis of variation also showed no overall differentiation of SSR genotypes or virulence phenotypes based on region of origin. Linkage disequilibria for SSR genotypes was high across the entire population and within regional populations. The regional populations had higher than expected levels of allelic heterozygosity and significant fixation values, which indicated clonal reproduction. Based on cluster analysis of SSR genotypes there were two groups of P. triticina isolates that were widely distributed across Russia. The two SSR groups also differed significantly for virulence with a significant correlation between virulence phenotype and SSR genotype.