Potential Infection Risks of the Wheat Stripe Rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) and Stem Rust (P. graminis f. sp. tritici) Pathogens on Alternate Host Barberry in Asia and Southeastern Europe

Authors: SINHA, PARIMAL - Indian Agricultural Research Institute; Chen, Xianming

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2021
Publication Date: 5/11/2021
Citation: Sinha, P., Chen, X. 2021. Potential Infection Risks of the Wheat Stripe Rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) and Stem Rust (P. graminis f. sp. tritici) Pathogens on Alternate Host Barberry in Asia and Southeastern Europe. Phytopathology. 10(5). Article 957. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050957.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050957

Interpretive Summary: Barberry is an alternate host for both the wheat stripe rust pathogen and the stem rust pathogen. To determine if barberry can be infected by these fungal pathogens, the weather data in Asia and Southeastern Europe were analyzed to assess infection risks based on infection favorable index for each pathogen and barberry growth index. In East Asia, Bhutan, China, and Nepal were found to have low risks of barberry infection by the stripe rust pathogen, but high risks by the stem rust pathogen. In Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the central Asian part of Russia, and Uzbekistan were found to have low to high risks of barberry infection for both pathogens, but not necessarily at the similar risk levels. In Northwest Asia, high risks were found for both pathogens in Turkey, and very high risks for both pathogens in Georgia. In Southwest Asia, no risk or low risks were found at the country level, except in few locations. In Southeastern Europe, similar high or very high risks for both pathogens were found for all studied countries except moderate risks for the stripe rust pathogen while high risks for the stem rust pathogen in Bulgaria and Romania. The potential risks of barberry infection by the stripe rust pathogen and/or the stem rust pathogen should provide guidelines for monitoring barberry infection and also should be valuable for developing rust management programs in these regions. The framework used in this study may be useful to predict rust infection risk in other regions.

Technical Abstract: Barberry (Berberis spp.) is an alternate host for both the wheat stripe rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) and the stem rust pathogen, P. graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt). To determine if barberry can be infected by these fungal pathogens, the weather data in Asia and Southeastern Europe were analyzed to assess infection risks based on infection favorable index for each pathogen and barberry growth index. In East Asia, Bhutan, China, and Nepal were found to have low risks of barberry infection by Pst, but high risks by Pgt. In Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the central Asian part of Russia, and Uzbekistan were found to have low to high risks of barberry infection for both Pst and Pgt, but not necessarily at the similar risk levels. In Northwest Asia, high risks were found for both pathogens in Turkey, and very high risks for both pathogens in Georgia. In Southwest Asia, no risk or low risks were found at the country level, except few locations. In Southeastern Europe, similar high or very high risks for both pathogens were found for all studied countries except moderate risks for Pst while high risks for Pgt in Bulgaria and Romania. The potential risks of barberry infection by Pst and/or Pgt should provide guidelines for monitoring barberry infection and also should be valuable for developing rust management programs in these regions. The framework used in this study may be useful to predict rust infection risk in other regions.