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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Cereal Disease Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #269196

Title: Crossing borders -- the global dimension of rust monitoring

Author
item HODSON, DAVE - Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO)
item NAZARI, KARMUSE - International Center For Agricultural Research In The Dry Areas (ICARDA)
item PARK, ROBERT - University Of Sydney
item HANSEN, J - Aarhus University
item ARISTA, J - International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
item FETCH, TOM - Aafc Lethrdge Research Center
item HOVMOLLER, MORGAN - Aarhus University
item Jin, Yue
item PRETORIUS, ZACK - University Of The Free State
item SONDER, K - International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
item Szabo, Les

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/13/2011
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rust pathogens are highly mobile trans-boundary organisms capable of rapid, long distance movements, either by wind-assisted or accidental human-mediated transmission. Emergence of new virulent races in one country can very rapidly have implications for other countries or regions. Detection of stem rust race TTKSK (Ug99) from Uganda in 1998/99 highlighted not only the vulnerability of the global wheat crop to Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), but also a lack of adequate global systems to monitor such a threat. In response to Ug99, a Global Cereal Rust Monitoring System (GCRMS) has been developed within the framework of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI). Ug99 lineage races have provided a clear initial focus for the GCRMS, but expansion to include other cereal rusts is considered important. Monitoring of trans-boundary organisms is only possible through coordinated, consolidated, and integrated national activities. A global rust monitoring network is now a functional reality, with a rapidly expanding number of countries undertaking annual rust surveys and contributing standardized data. The current geographical coverage of 20+ wheat-growing countries in Africa and Asia is a substantial achievement, but further expansion is required. Global pathotyping capacity is still limited, however, and a small group of advanced rust laboratories play a vital role in the monitoring of Pgt populations. Progress in the development and expansion of the Global Cereal Rust Monitoring System (GCRMS) is described. With an increasing amount and diversity of data being received, a centralized global information system has been developed. Efficient and effective data management is now being achieved via the Wheat Rust Toolbox platform, with an expanding range of dynamic information products being delivered to end-users. This data management platform currently handles field survey and pathotype data, but expansion to include trap nursery and molecular diagnostic probe data is planned. Dynamic, data-base driven outputs from the Wheat Rust Toolbox may be embedded within any national partner web-site. At the global level, a dedicated web portal Rust SPORE (http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/rust/stem/rust-report/en/) has been established and serves as the main outlet for current information on the Ug99 lineage of races. Future directions for the GCRMS and challenges will be described, along with opportunities for linkages into national rust monitoring systems.