Resistance of Triticum durum Cultivars Waskana and Waskowa to Cereal Cyst Nematode, Heterodera filipjevi and H. avenae

Abstract

Cereal cyst nematodes (CCN) are a group of important soil-borne pathogens of wheat. Heterodera avenae and H. filip-jevi are the major species of CCN that have limited wheat (Triticum aestivum) production in China in recent years. Since the CCN-resistant resource is short, it is important to develop new sources with resistance for breeding purpose in China. Based on the results of a 3-year field test and controlled environment tests, we found that two Canadian Triticum durum cultivars, Waskana and Waskowa, were highly resistant to both Heterodera filipjevi (pathotype Hfc-1) and H. avenae (pathotype HA43) populations from Henan Province, China. The number of white females per plant in Waskana and Waskowa was significantly smaller than that in the susceptible common wheat cultivars Aikang 58, Shi 4185, and Wenmai 19. Although the juveniles of H. filipjevi and H. avenae populations were able to penetrate into the roots of Waskana and Waskowa, the number of juveniles inside the roots was significantly smaller than that of Aikang 58, Shi 4185, and Wenmai 19, resulting in smaller numbers of females on the roots of these durum wheat cultivars. Waskana and Waskowa with resistance to H. filipjevi and H. avenae are useful in developing wheat cultivars with enhanced resistance to CCN in China. Based on the results from the DNA-based soil testing service operated by South Australian Research and Development Institute, the number of eggs of nematodes in the rhizospheric soil samples from the CCN-resistant cultivars Waskana and Waskowa was less than that in the soil samples from the susceptible wheat cultivars. This indicates that application of resistant cultivars might reduce the risk of damage caused by CCN in soil.