Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #147018
Title: REACTION OF U.S. SPRING WHEAT CULTIVARS TO KARNAL BUNT

Author
item Goates, Blair
item FUENTES-DAVILA, G. - CIMMYT

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2003
Citation: GOATES, B., FUENTES-DAVILA, G. REACTION OF U.S. SPRING WHEAT CULTIVARS TO KARNAL BUNT. PHYTOPATHOLOGY. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: This information will allow better management decisions in areas where Karnal Bunt occurs

Technical Abstract: Yield and quality losses due to Karnal bunt (KB) in the U.S. have been insignificant; however international quarantines have made KB an important trade issue. To evaluate the relative susceptibility of U.S. spring wheats to KB, 140 cultivars representing all market classes were screened for resistance during at least three seasons. For each entry and year, 10 spikes from each of 2 planting dates were injected at late boot stage with a suspension of sporidia. The mean percent infected kernels/spike from each entry, planting date, and year, was calculated for a final disease rating. Among 56 hard red, 3 hard white, 5 soft red, 15 soft white, and 26 durum cultivars, the percent infected kernels ranged from 0 to 40.6%, 5.8 to 42.0%, 1.8 to 25.3%, 2.0 to 36.4%, and 0 to 29.4% respectively. The cultivar 'Thatcher' is in the pedigree of many of the most resistant hard red cultivars, including 'Chris' that carries the dominant resistance gene Kb1. This suggests Kb1 might be contributing to disease control in the most resistant hard red wheats. In the most resistant durum cultivars, 'Edmore' is a common parent, suggesting that a component of this cultivar is contributing to resistance.