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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Cereal Disease Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #275196
Title: Races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici with combined virulence to Sr13 and Sr9e in a field stem rust screening nursery in Ethiopia

Author
item OLIVERA, PABLO - University Of Minnesota
item Jin, Yue
item Rouse, Matthew
item BADEBO, A - Ethiopian Agricultural Research
item FETCH, THOMAS - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item SINGH, R - International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
item YAHYAOUI, A - International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2011
Publication Date: 11/10/2011
Citation: Olivera, P., Jin, Y., Rouse, M.N., Badebo, A., Fetch, T., Singh, R., Yahyaoui, A. 2011. Races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici with combined virulence to Sr13 and Sr9e in a field stem rust screening nursery in Ethiopia. Plant Disease. 96:623-628.

Interpretive Summary: North American durum wheat lines are highly resistant to stem rust, including resistance to Ug99 and related races from eastern Africa. However, durum lines selected for Ug99 resistance in Kenya, became susceptible when tested in Ethiopia, suggesting the presence of stem rust races that were virulent to stem rust resistance genes that are effective against Ug99. We found two stem rust races (JRCQC and TRTTF) that possess virulence on stem rust resistance genes Sr13 and Sr9e. This may explain why many Ug99-resistant durum lines in Kenya became susceptible in Ethiopia. The discovery of Sr9e-Sr13 virulence combination is of particular concern because these two genes constitute major components for stem rust resistance in North American durum cultivars. In addition to Sr9e and Sr13 virulence, race TRTTF is virulent to several stem rust resistance genes that are important for stem rust resistance in winter wheat cultivars in the United States. This research will help scientists to develop new strategies in identifying new sources of stem rust resistance and in developing better stem rust resistant varieties of wheat.

Technical Abstract: North American durum lines, selected for resistance to TTKSK and related races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici in Kenya, became highly susceptible in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, suggesting the presence of stem rust races that were virulent to the TTKSK-effective genes in durum. The objective of this study was to characterize races of P. graminis f. sp. tritici present in the Debre Zeit, Ethiopia stem rust nursery. Three races of P. graminis f. sp. tritici were identified from 34 isolates: JRCQC, TRTTF, and TTKSK. Both races JRCQC and TRTTF possess virulence on stem rust resistance genes Sr13 and Sr9e, which may explain why many TTKSK-resistant durum lines tested in Kenya became susceptible in Debre Zeit. The Sr9e-Sr13 virulence combination is of particular concern because these two genes constitute major components for stem rust resistance in North American durum cultivars. In addition to Sr9e and Sr13 virulence, race TRTTF is virulent to at least three stem rust resistance genes that are effective to race TTKSK including Sr36, SrTmp, and resistance conferred by the 1AL.1RS translocation. Race TRTTF is the first known race with virulence to the stem rust resistance carried by this rye translocation, which represents one of the few effective genes against Ug99 in winter wheat cultivars in the United States. Durum entries exhibiting resistant to moderately susceptible infection response at the Debre Zeit nursery in 2009 were evaluated for reaction to races JRCQC, TRTTF, and TTKSK at the seedling stage. Forty-seven entries were resistant to the three races evaluated at the seedling stage, whereas 26 entries exhibited a susceptible reaction. These results suggest the presence of both major and adult plant resistance genes, which would be useful in durum wheat breeding programs. A thorough survey of virulence in the P. graminis f.sp. tritici population in Ethiopia will allow characterization of the geographic distribution of the races identified in the Debre Zeit field nursery.