Breeding Progress in Seedling Resistance against Various Races of Stripe and Leaf Rust in European Bread Wheat

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Abstract
Background: Stripe and leaf rust are major constraints of wheat production with substantial impacts on grain yield. Population dynamics of both pathogens and the emergence of new virulent races have resulted in relentless efforts related to wheat breeding to improve resistance during the last decades. Methods: To evaluate the breeding progress achieved with respect to race-specific resistance, a set of nine isolates of the two rust pathogens have been tested in seedling assays on a panel of 191 elite winter wheat cultivars representing wheat breeding in Europe between 1966 and 2013. Results: Significant differences in the resistance of wheat cultivars concerning both pathogens have been detected by means of two-way ANOVA. Isolates as well as genotype × isolate interaction had a significant effect for both pathogens. Breeding progress, resulting in an increased seedling resistance, has been achieved against all nine isolates over the past five decades. The slope of progress was steeper for leaf rust than for stripe rust isolates. Progress against the highly common leaf rust isolate “4171” and” the stripe rust isolate “Warrior(-)” was strongest. Conclusions: The study reveals that a steady increase in seedling resistance was achieved during the past five decades. An additive contribution of these isolate specific R genes after breakdown has been hypothesised.

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