Rust Resistance in Hexaploid Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell)

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em Thell) is the ‘golden grain’ of the cereals and plays a vital role in the contribution of global food. Wheat yield in India grew at a rate of 3.5% during 1940–82 and had a sudden decline during the next two decades to 2.9%. This decline can be attributed due to: (1) lack of improvement in the genetic yield potential, and (2) susceptibility to diseases. The study objective was to determine the ability of rust resistant genes in hexaploid wheat. There are 12 important wheat diseases in India; among them, the black (stem) rust (Pucciniagraminis), brown (leaf) rust (P. recondita), and yellow (stripe) rust (P. striiformis) are ranked the most destructive, causing 10–100% annual loss of wheat production. The most effective way to decrease these diseases is only possible through the use of identified resistance genes in breeding programs. In the present study an evaluation was a made on the effectiveness of rust resistance gene(s) viz. Lr19+Sr25, Lr19+Sr25 and Sr36, Sr26,Sr27 and Sr31+Lr26+Yr9, obtained from 10 donor plants, in the genetic background of eight Indian hexaploid wheat varieties, on rust resistance as well as on grain yield performance. Keywords: Wheat, rust resistance gene, grain yield performance Cite this Article Amala Divya S, Thamarai Kani V, Sekar T. Rust Resistance in Hexaploid Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L. em Thell). Research & Reviews: Journal of Crop Science and Technology . 2018; 7(1): 11–21p.