Inheritance and Detection of Leaf Rust Resistance Genes in Some Egyptian Wheat Cultivars

Resistance to leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina can be improved in wheat cultivars by detection of leaf rust resistance genes that are present in the wheat cultivars. This study was carried out during 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 growing seasons to study the inheritance and genetic nature of wheat leaf rust resistance in eight Egyptian bread wheat cultivars i.e. Gemmeiza 9, Gemmeiza 10, Gemmeiza 11, Gemmeiza 12, Sids 1, Sids 12, Sids 13 and Sids 14. Crosses were done between the eight tested wheat cultivars and the highly susceptible wheat variety; Thatcher to determine the nature of leaf rust resistance and number of leaf rust resistance genes in these cultivars. Also, crosses were done between the tested wheat cultivars and six leaf rust monogenic lines i.e. Lr 50, Lr 51, Lr 54, Lr 64, Lr 67 and Lr 68 to determine the presence of these genes in the tested cultivars. The F1 seeds were planted to produce F2 plants. The resulted F2 plants were tested at adult plant stage at Behira governorate during 2018/19 growing season. Segregations of F2 plants at adult plant stages indicated that the wheat cultivar Gemmeiza 12 has the two leaf rust resistance genes; Lr 50 and Lr 67 and the wheat cultivar Sids 14 has one leaf rust resistance gene; Lr 64. While, the other tested wheat cultivars doesn’t carry any of the tested leaf rust resistance genes at adult-plant stage. We recommend using these leaf rust resistance genes in the breeding program to improve wheat resistance to leaf rust.