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Title: Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, cause of powdery mildew of wheat

Author
item Parks, Wesley
item BOOTH, WARREN - North Carolina State University
item Cowger, Christina

Submitted to: Molecular Ecology Resources
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/24/2010
Publication Date: 4/1/2011
Citation: Parks, W.R., Booth, W., Cowger, C. 2011. Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, cause of powdery mildew of wheat. Molecular Ecology Resources. 11:586-589.

Interpretive Summary: Genetic loci called microsatellites have been detected in the wheat powdery mildew fungus that will enable us to study the population of this global pathogen in new ways. Among other things, we can determine whether there are genetically distinct populations of the pathogen in different region, and how much migration and gene flow there is among these regions. This information will assist in breeding and deploying resistant wheat varieties.

Technical Abstract: In many wheat–growing regions of the world, powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici is a major disease that results in significant yield losses. Using a microsatellite enrichment protocol, we developed primers for 10 microsatellite DNA loci to aid in studies of B. g. tritici population biology. When tested against 45 individuals from the eastern U.S., nine were polymorphic with 2 to 20 alleles detected per locus and an average allelic diversity of 0.543.