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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #393473
Research Project: Improvement of Barley and Oat for Enhanced Productivity, Quality, and Stress Resistance

Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research

Title: Mapping and identification of molecular markers for the Pc96 gene conferring resistance to crown rust in oat

Author
item ABDULLAH, SIDRAT - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Gordon, Tyler
item ADMASSU-YIMER, BELAYNEH - University Of Idaho
item PACZOS-GRZEDA, EDYTA - University Of Life Sciences In Lublin
item HARRISON, STEPHEN - Louisiana State University Agcenter
item MENZIES, JAMES - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item Esvelt Klos, Kathy

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2023
Publication Date: 4/6/2023
Citation: Abdullah, S., Gordon, T.C., Admassu-Yimer, B., Paczos-Grzeda, E., Harrison, S.A., Menzies, J.G., Esvelt Klos, K.L. 2023. Mapping and identification of molecular markers for the Pc96 gene conferring resistance to crown rust in oat. PLOS ONE. 18(4): e0283769. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283769.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283769

Interpretive Summary: A primary limiting factor of oat production is crown rust disease caused by Puccinia coronata. Oat yield losses due to crown rust generally vary from 1% to 5% per year, but more severe losses are routinely reported. Breeding varieties with genetic resistance is an important means of controlling disease. This study is part of an ongoing effort within the oat research community to identify the genomic map locations of genes conferring crown rust resistance. We found that crown rust resistance gene Pc96 is located on 7D. Several molecular genetic markers linked to Pc96 were identified with potential for use in marker-assisted oat breeding.

Technical Abstract: Crown rust caused by Puccinia coronata var. avenae f. sp. avenae (Urban & Marková) (Pca), is a major constraint to oat production in many parts of the globe, with host resistance applied as a common strategy to curb crown rust epidemics. Combining multiple sources of crown rust resistance (for example, Pc genes conferring seedling resistance) in a single genetic background can be expedited by marker assisted selection using molecular markers that are tightly linked with the resistance locus. Pc96 is a race-specific crown rust resistance gene originating from cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) that has been deployed in North American oat breeding programs. SNP markers linked with Pc96 were identified using multiple interval mapping with 899 polymorphic SNPs in a recombinant inbred line population developed from a cross between the oat crown rust differential known to carry Pc96 and a the differential line carrying Pc54. A single resistance locus was identified on chromosome 7D between 60.4 and 91.6 cM with a peak LOD at 87.3 cM. The resistance locus and linked SNPs were validated in two additional biparental populations, Ajay x Pc96 and Pc96 x Kasztan. Genotype state at a combination of two linked SNPs predicted the absence of Pc96 in a broad group of germplasm with 5% miss-classification. SNPs that are closely linked to the gene may be beneficial as PCR-based molecular markers in marker-assisted selection.