Temperature‐sensitive wheat stem rust resistance gene Sr15 is effective against Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici race TTKSK

Abstract

The wheat stem rust fungus, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), race TTKSK and related races pose a serious threat to world wheat production. Knowing the effectiveness of wheat stem rust resistance (Sr) genes against Pgt race TTKSK is fundamental in mitigating this threat through resistance breeding. Sr15 was previously identified as being ineffective against Pgt race TTKSK. Here, multirace disease phenotyping data, linkage analyses, allelism testing and haplotype analyses are presented to support the conclusion that Sr15 is effective against Pgt race TTKSK. Resistance to race TTKSK was mapped to Sr15 in a biparental population. Thirty‐two accessions with Sr15 displayed seedling resistance phenotypes against race TTKSK. However, these accessions were susceptible as seedlings at high temperatures (22–25 °C), consistent with previous reports that the interaction between avirulent Pgt isolates and Sr15 is temperature‐sensitive. Markers STS638, wri4 and KASP_IWB30995 were found to predict the presence of Sr15, suggesting the utility of these assays for marker‐assisted selection in breeding programmes. The effectiveness of Sr15 to specific Pgt races and temperatures makes it a less‐desirable TTKSK‐effective gene. Wheat lines assayed as resistant to race TTKSK at the seedling stage may possess Sr15 and breeders should be aware of the limitations of Sr15 for conferring stem rust resistance.