Abstract
Background: Stripe and leaf rust are major constraints of wheat production with substantial impacts on grain yield. Population dynamics of both pathogens and the emergence of new virulent races have resulted in relentless efforts related to wheat breeding to improve resistance during the last decades. Methods: To evaluate the breeding progress achieved with respect to race-specific resistance, a set of nine isolates of the two rust pathogens have been tested in seedling assays on a panel of 191 elite winter wheat cultivars representing wheat breeding in Europe between 1966 and 2013. Results: Significant differences in the resistance of wheat cultivars concerning both pathogens have been detected by means of two-way ANOVA. Isolates as well as genotype × isolate interaction had a significant effect for both pathogens. Breeding progress, resulting in an increased seedling resistance, has been achieved against all nine isolates over the past five decades. The slope of progress was steeper for leaf rust than for stripe rust isolates. Progress against the highly common leaf rust isolate “4171” and” the stripe rust isolate “Warrior(-)” was strongest. Conclusions: The study reveals that a steady increase in seedling resistance was achieved during the past five decades. An additive contribution of these isolate specific R genes after breakdown has been hypothesised.
Highlights
Stripe and leaf rust, caused by the fungal pathogens Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (PS) and Puccinia triticina (PT), are major constraints of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated under temperate climatic conditions with a substantial impact on grain yield [1,2,3]
This study represents the first attempt to assess progress in fungal seedling resistance in a large panel of European elite winter wheat cultivars responding to single isolates of stripe and leaf rust common in Europe
The results prove that a steady increase in seedling resistance was accomplished in five decades of the continuous breeding of winter wheat
Summary
Stripe and leaf rust, caused by the fungal pathogens Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (PS) and Puccinia triticina (PT), are major constraints of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated under temperate climatic conditions with a substantial impact on grain yield [1,2,3]. Stripe and leaf rust, caused by the fungal pathogens Puccinia striiformis f.sp. Tritici (PS) and Puccinia triticina (PT), are major constraints of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated under temperate climatic conditions with a substantial impact on grain yield [1,2,3]. Crop Breeding, Genetics and Genomics utilisation of resistance genes has been applied in wheat as a cost-effective and ecologically friendly means to avoid yield losses. Stripe and leaf rust are major constraints of wheat production with substantial impacts on grain yield. Population dynamics of both pathogens and the emergence of new virulent races have resulted in relentless efforts related to wheat breeding to improve resistance during the last decades
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
