Phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of Turkish bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici)

Abstract

Wheat stripe rust, which is caused by the basidiomycetes fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat in Türkiye and worldwide. In this study, a total of 99 bread wheat varieties were assessed at the adult plant stage under natural infection conditions during the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 growing seasons. Additionally, specific molecular markers were used to genotype the stripe rust resistance genes Yr26, Yr32, Yr36, Yr44 and YrSP. Disease severity was determined using the modified Cobb scale and infection reactions of each bread wheat varieties were evaluated, and also coefficient of infection value was calculated based on those parameters. To determine whether the wheat varieties had resistance gene(s), specific molecular markers associated with the resistance genes Yr26, Yr32, Yr36, Yr44 and YrSP were used. In the field trials, the majority of the tested varieties showed moderately susceptible and susceptible reactions in both years. According to the molecular results, they were positive for Yr32 in three varieties, Yr36 in 25 varieties, YrSP in two varieties and none of them had Yr26. Furthermore, some varieties carried combinations of these genes, such as Yr32 + Yr36, Yr32 + Yr44, Yr36 + Yr44, Yr36 + YrSP, Yr32 + Yr36 + Yr44 and Yr32 + Yr36 + Yr44 + YrSP. On the other hand, it was not determined these resistance genes in 16 varieties. In the literature, these resistance genes were first identified in Turkish bread wheat varieties. In addition, these findings are valuable for the development of wheat cultivars with effective and more durable resistance to stripe rust in Türkiye.