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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » WHGQ » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #406206
Research Project: Enhancing Control of Stripe Rusts of Cereal Crops

Location: Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research

Title: Race Characterization of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and P. striiformis f. sp. hordei in the United States

Author
item Chen, Xianming
item WANG, MEINAN - Washington State University

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2024
Publication Date: 4/9/2025
Citation: Chen, X., Wang, M. 2025. Race Characterization of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and P. striiformis f. sp. hordei in the United States. Book Chapter. 2898:23-39. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-4378-5_2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-4378-5_2

Interpretive Summary: Stripe rust of wheat and stripe rust of barley are caused by different forms of the stripe rust fungal species. The pathogens continually produce new virulent races that may circumvent race-specific resistance genes in commercially grown cultivars of the crops. For effectively developing new resistant cultivars and managing the diseases, it is essential to monitor virulence changes and characterize races of the pathogen. This chapter describes the protocols we have been using to identify races of the pathogens in the United States. Currently, a set of 18 wheat lines each carrying a single stripe rust resistance gene are used to differentiate races of the wheat stripe rust pathogen, and a set of 12 barley genotypes are used to differentiate races of the barley stripe rust pathogen. As both forms can infect other cereal crops and grasses, some wheat stripe rust races can infect few barley varieties, and some barley stripe rust races may infect few wheat varieties, a scheme we have been using to address the across virulence issue is presented and discussed.

Technical Abstract: Stripe rust (also called yellow rust, Yr) of wheat is caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), and stripe rust of barley is caused by P. striiformis f. sp. hordei (Psh). The fungal pathogens continually produce new virulent races that may circumvent race-specific resistance genes in commercially grown cultivars of the crops. For effectively developing new resistant cultivars and managing the diseases, it is essential to monitor virulence changes and characterize races of the pathogen. This chapter describes the protocols we have been using to identify races of the pathogens in the United States. Currently, a set of 18 Yr single-gene lines are used to differentiate races of Pst, and a set of 12 barley genotypes are used to differentiate races of Psh. As both Pst and Psh can infect other cereal crops and grasses, some Pst races can infect few barley varieties, and some Psh races may infect few wheat varieties, a scheme we have been using to address the across virulence issue is presented and discussed.