Application of MAC methods in wheat breeding for resistance to Septoria blight

Abstract

The review presents up-to-date information on the genes of resistance of soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Septoria blight (STB), the causative agents of which are Zymoseptoria tritici, Paras- tagonospora nodorum, Mycosphaerella graminicola. The main attention is paid to the genetic control of wheat resistance to septoria blight from the point of view of the quantitative and qualitative nature of resistance and its effectiveness. The successes achieved so far in the identification of genes and loci of quantitative wheat traits associated with resistance to Z. tritici and P. nodorum are summarized. The characteristics of 15 genes of resistance to septoria blight and the most commonly used molecular markers are given. The data on the varieties with the most effective STB resistance genes are presented: Bulgaria 88, Oasis, Sullivan, Veranopolis, Chinese spring, Tadinia, Flame, Hereword, Curtot, Tonic, Kavkaz-K4500, Arina, Riband, Balance, Apach. Promising markers, mainly microsatellites, or simple sequence repeats (SSR), are recommended for use in breeding for T. aestivum L. resistance to septoria blight. It is technically difficult to use fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) as molecular markers of resistance genes of cultivated plants. As new resistance genes are discovered and mapped, information about the possibility of pyramiding Stb genes in the breeding material is being updated. The combination of several genes in the genome increases the stability of the variety, since the activity of the genes against STB is manifested at different stages of plant development. The use of known genes in marker-mediated wheat selection and the search for new resistance genes will allow to obtain stable yields with minimal use of pesticides.