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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Cereal Disease Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #325292
Title: Stem rust resistance in 1BL.1RS and 2RL.2BS double wheat-rye translocation lines

Author
item RAHMATOV, MAHBUBJON - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item GARKAVA, GUSTAVSSON - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item WANYERA, RUTH - Kenya Agricultural And Livestock Research Organization
item STEFFENSON, BRIAN - University Of Minnesota
item Rouse, Matthew - Matt
item JOHANSSON, EVA - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Czech Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2015
Publication Date: 11/1/2015
Citation: Rahmatov, M., Garkava, G., Wanyera, R., Steffenson, B., Rouse, M.N., Johansson, E. 2015. Stem rust resistance in 1BL.1RS and 2RL.2BS double wheat-rye translocation lines. Czech Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding. 51(4):148–154. doi: 10.17221/80/2015-CJGPB.

Interpretive Summary: Wheat stem rust is a fungal disease of wheat that decreases yield. A strain of the wheat stem rust fungus known as Ug99 emerged in Uganda in 1999 and threatens global wheat production because it is able to infect nearly all wheat varieties. In order to identify new sources of resistance to Ug99, wheat lines with chromosome arms from rye were tested for response to Ug99. Lines were identified that possesed the 2RL and 1RS rye chromosome arms and exhibited adult plant resistance to Ug99. These resistant lines could be used by wheat breeders to develop Ug99 resistant wheat varieties. Ug99 resistant wheat cultivars will protect United States wheat production from yield loss if a Ug99 epidemic were to occur in the United States.

Technical Abstract: The wheat stem rust pathogen, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, is a significant and devastating disease of wheat crops worldwide. Wheat has many wild relatives in which to source new resistance genes, including the cereal crop of rye in the tertiary genepool. The aim of this study was to assess the reaction of 1BL.1RS and 2RL.2BS double wheat-rye translocation lines to virulent stem rust races from Africa and North America. BC1F3 and BC1F4 populations from a cross between the line KR99-139 (a double wheat-rye translocation line with 1BL.1RS and 2RL.2BS) and bread wheat cultivar Topper were used in the study. Several of the populations homozygous for 1BL.1RS and heterozygous for 2RL.2BS showed resistance and low severity adult plant resistance (20RMR-50MSS) to the African stem rust race TTKSK in the field. None of the tested populations with varying chromosome combinations showed seedling resistance to any of the tested stem rust races. Thus, these resistant populations likely carry genes effective at the adult plant stage since all stage resistance genes with major effect appear to be absent based on the seedling assays. Resistant lines combined three chromosomes (1RS, 2RS and 2BS) which make their direct use in breeding more complicated. Mapping studies followed by eventual transfer of genes between 2R and 2B will make the identified minor genes more useful in wheat breeding.