resistance

Leaf rust is one of the major diseases of wheat in Bangladesh. The farmer fields and trial sites were regularly surveyed for rust assessment from 2010-2011 to 2016-2017 wheat growing seasons. Disease severity was recorded following BGRI protocols. Percentage of fields infected with leaf rust and the levels of disease severity varied with genotype, year, planting time and survey sites. Timely planted wheat either escaped or had less disease compared to late planted crop. Among our cultivated varieties, Shatabdi was either free from infection or exhibited only trace severity with resistant reaction. Variety Saurav, Bijoy, BARI Gom 27 , BARI Gom 28 , BARI Gom-29 and BARI Gom-30 were consistently free from leaf rust infection. BARI Gom 25 and BARI Gom 26 showed low to moderate disease levels with MRMS-MSS reactions, while the variety Prodip demonstrated moderate to high disease severity with susceptible response and it needs to be replaced by resistant variety to sustain wheat productivity.

To monitor evolution and pathogenic variability of wheat stem rust pathogen (Puccina graminis f. sp. tritici) in Australia, the Australian Cereal Rust Control program regularly conducts national annual surveys. Recently, we detected a new pathotype 34-1,2,5,7 (culture # 661) virulent on stem rust resistance genes Sr5, Sr6, Sr7b, Sr9g, Sr11, Sr15 and Sr17. Although virulent on Sr11, this pathotype produced a low infection type (IT 22+C/X) on the Sr11-differential genotype Yalta, indicating that Yalta carries an uncharacterised resistance (SrY) in addition to Sr11. To characterize SrY, we screened a RIL population Yalta/W2691 (104 lines) with two pathotypes: 21-0 (avirulent on Sr11 or AA) and the newly identified 34-1,2,5,7 (virulent on Sr11 but avirulent on SrY or BB). Yalta produced low infection types, "1C" and "22+C/X" with pathotypes 21-0 and 34-1,2,5,7, respectively, whereas W2691 was susceptible to both pathotypes. The population segregated for AA/aa (35 Res: 69 Sus) and BB/bb (36 Res: 68 Sus) loci with pathotypes 21-0 and 34-1,2,5,7, respectively. The observed segregation (AA/aa and BB/bb) however failed to fit with predicted single gene 1:1 model (P<0.05) with both pathotypes. Joint segregation analysis (AA/aa vs BB/bb) also significantly deviated (P<0.01) from 1:1:1:1 (AABB:AAbb:aaBB:aabb) genetic model. It appears that population is skewed towards susceptibility in each case either by chance or differential gametic transmission as reported previously in progenies derived from crosses involving variety Yalta. The segregation pattern (AABB and aabb) with two pathotypes was, however, highly coupled apart from 13 lines, of which, 6 lines (AAbb) were susceptible with 21-0 and resistant with 34-1,2,5,7, and 7 lines (aaBB) resistant with 21-0 and susceptible with 34-1,2,5,7, showing that the two loci are linked (?2 linkage = 76.9; P<0.001) and located very close to each other. If that is the case, it may imply that SrY is common in wheats carrying Sr11. Cultivar Charter has been used in India to differentiate pathotypes virulent for Sr11, suggesting that Charter also carries a second stem rust locus (SrC) possibly corresponding with SrY. Further studies and mapping work are underway to determine the genetic relationship between SrY, SrC and Sr11.

Wheat as a staple food crop in Tajikistan plays a crucial role for food security of population. However its production is threatened by number of limiting factors, and among them wheat rusts are most devastating disease.
Close collaboration of local scientists and breeders was established with International Agricultural Research Centers, including CIMMYT and ICARDA since early 2000. In the result, a number of high yielding and rust resistant varieties were released in Tajikistan that occupy presently about 40% of total wheat area.
Among the major breeding objectives selection of varieties with high resistance to wheat rusts, especially yellow rust considered as a priority task. The following new varieties originated from CIMMYT international nurseries were released in the country in past years, which bear high resistance to yellow rust: Sarvar (CHEN\AEGILOPS SQUARROSA (TAUS0//BCN/3/BAV92), Yusufi (SOROCA), Vahdat (VORONA SN079), Isfara (SW89.5181/KAUZ), Fayzbaksh (TAM200.KAUZ) and Shokiri (SHARK/F4105W2.1).
During the last three years eight new varieties were submitted for official testing, and two of them already are released in 2017 (Murodi and Durakhshon) and remaining ones are under official testing. The varieties and their origin are followings: Murodi (CHEN/AE.SQ//WEAVER/3/SSERI1), Durakhshon (ATTILA/3*BCN*2//BAV92), Kamol (PYN/BAU//LAGOS-19/3/ID800994.W/VEE), Zarnisor (CROC_1/AE.SQUARROSA(205)//BORL95/3/2*MILAN), Ganj (NAC/TH.AC//3*PVN/3/MIRLO/BUC/4/2*PASTOR), Mehrgon (SAAR/WAXWING), Sipar (FRET 2*2/4/SNI/TRAP #1/3/KAUZ*2/TRAP//KAUZ/5) and Lochin (PJN/BOW//OPATA*2/3/CROC_1/AE.SQ.(224)).

Aphids are major pests of wheat, able to cause up to 40% yield reduction solely due to direct feeding and up to 60% when feeding is combined with the transmission of viral diseases. Wheat resistance to aphids has proven to be effective in protecting yields and also in reducing the transmission rate of viral diseases. Moreover, aphid resistance is fundamental to reduce the negative impacts that the indiscriminate use of insecticides have on the environment and human health. In this study we report the results derived from the evaluation of 326 synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) derived lines against the greenbug (Schizaphis graminum [Rondai]). Primary SHWs were crossed with CIMMYT elite lines and further selected in the breeding pipeline. Therefore, such lines have acceptable agronomic characteristics for its further use in breeding programs. The 326 SHW derived lines were evaluated at seedling stage, in five augmented incomplete blocks, arranged in split-plots, with two treatments (infested vs. non-infested) and with resistant and susceptible checks replicated 16 times. The measured variables were chlorophyll content with a SPAD meter and a visual damage score in a scale 0-100 was also taken. Measurements were recorded when the susceptible check was dead due to aphid feeding. The evaluations were repeated two times for confirmation. Our results indicate the presence of genetic variation for S. graminum resistance. We identified about 4 % of the lines to carry high levels of resistance against this aphid. These lines are currently used in CIMMYT's bread wheat breeding program to incorporate the resistance in elite germplasm.