Screening diverse wheat genotypes for leaf rust resistance

Wheat leaf rust (caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks.) stands as a significant biotic constraint in commercial wheat production, posing a threat to the sustainable cultivation of both bread and durum wheat. Managing this pathogen through resistance mechanisms is crucial for ensuring robust wheat production. Molecular markers offer an ideal tool for the identification of resistance genes in wheat cultivars. In this research, we employed specific sequence-tagged site, and sequence characterized amplified region molecular markers to screen 48 wheat genotypes, comprising 13 bread wheat and 35 durum wheat cultivars, to elucidate the presence of leaf rust genes (Lr genes). The investigation encompassed 8 leaf rust races at the seedling stage. Our findings revealed the presence of Lr1, Lr9, Lr10, Lr19, Lr21, Lr22a, Lr24, Lr28, Lr29, Lr32, Lr47, Lr50, and Lr67 genes in the studied genotypes. According to the results, Lr1, Lr9, Lr10 and Lr22a were identified in 10, 12, 6 and 12 cultivars, respectively, while Lr19, Lr29, and Lr50 were absent in all cultivars. Molecular markers successfully identified Lr21, Lr24, Lr28, Lr32, and Lr47 genes in 11, 8, 43, 14 and 16 cultivars, respectively. Additionally, two primers, cfd23 and cfd71, effectively identified the Lr67 gene in 13 and 3 genotypes, respectively. In summary, this study underscores the utility of specific PCR techniques as a simple, effective, and reproducible laboratory approach for characterizing resistance genes in wheat breeding programs. The use of molecular markers facilitates a targeted and efficient screening process, contributing to the development of wheat cultivars with enhanced resistance to leaf rust.

Journal

GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP EVOLUTION

Year

2025

Volume

72

Issue

5

Pages

5529-5547

ISSN

0925-9864

eISSN

1573-5109

DOI

10.1007/s10722-024-02285-9

WoS UID

WOS:001374460400001