Research Article

Identification of Resistance Sources in Wheat to Brown and Yellow Rust

Ateeq ur Rehman1, Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi1*, Ummad-ud-Din Umar1, Muhammad Irfan Zafar1, Faqeer Hussain2, Muhammad Asif Zulfiqar3 and Azhar Ali Khan3

1Department of Plant Pathology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan; 2Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan; 3PARC, Research and Training Station, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.

Received | December 03, 2018; Accepted | January 06, 2019; Published | February 03, 2019

*Correspondence | Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi, Department of Plant Pathology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan; Email: atifnaqvi@bzu.edu.pk

Citation | Rehman, A., S.A.H. Naqvi, U.D. Umar, M.I. Zafar, F. Hussain, M.A. Zulfiqar and A.A. Khan 2019. Identification of resistance sources in wheat to brown and yellow rust. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research, 32(1): 185-196.

DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjar/2019/32.1.185.196

Keywords | Triticum aestivum L., Leaf rust, Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici, Stripe rust, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici

Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important crop and staple food for the people of Pakistan. It contributes 34% to GDP (Anonymous, 2015). During recent studies, it has been reported that 100g of edible portion of wheat grains contain 11.50% proteins, 59.40% carbohydrates, 9.70% fats, 10.60% crude fibers and 1.80% ash (Agarwal et al., 2005). In Pakistan, wheat ranked first as staple food followed by rice and maize. The cultivated area of wheat has been recorded 8.49 million ha with production of 23.52 million tons (Anonymous, 2015). This alarming gap between ever increasing demand and current production is a big challenge for all plant scientists. This challenge can be met over by increasing: (a) area under production, (b) yield per unit area and (c) minimizing the production losses. Increasing area seems almost impossible because of constraints like drought, salinity, water logging and trends in urbanization. The wheat crop is attacked by many diseases, of which rusts are of great importance. There are three types of rusts which are found on wheat. Leaf rust or brown rust is caused by Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici while stripe rust or yellow rust is caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and stem rust or black rust is caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. Leaf and stripe rusts appear periodically on wheat crop and induce heavy losses in yield (Kolmer et al., 2009). Leaf rust or brown rust of wheat is a serious production hazard in wheat all over the world and is an air-borne foliar disease on which early maturing wheat cultivars largely escape serious rust damage. Round to oblong, brick-red pustules (uredia) appear on leaves, stems and later on heads. As the crop ripens, black spores (telia) are produced. Similarly, stripe rust or yellow rust, is one of the most common fungal diseases of bread wheat in many countries because it is also an air borne disease. In the same way oblong, brick red pustules (uredia) appear on leaves, stems and later on heads and as crop ripens the black spores are produced (Hafiz, 1986). Hussain (1989) reported the occurrence of race one hundred and four Puccinia recondita f. sp. Tritici of which three pathotypes were distinguished. However, the new race was unable to overcome the resistance gene Lr13 and Lr26 most probably occurring in Pakistan cultivars. Environmental conditions play an important role in the development of the disease. Khan (1985) studied fifteen varieties of Wheat genotypes on slow rusting response in relation to environmental factors on these varieties. Different varieties showed slow rusting response at 77-78% R.H, 22-28 °C maximum temperature and 16-18 °C minimum temperature. Keeping in view the above facts regarding the rust diseases of the wheat the current research was planned to evaluate the collection of resistant sources against the rust disease of wheat and to determine the conducive environmental variable facilitating the disease in the field.

Materials and Methods

Establishment of rust screening nursery

Seeds of 152 genotypes were collected from the Ayub agriculture research institute (AARI) Faisalabad. Nursery was sown in area of wheat research institute (WRI) of ARRI. Nursery was sown in normal wheat season in experimental area. Line sowing 3m was done with R×R = 30cm. In order to maintain crop health and vigor agronomic practices were followed to keep the crop in good condition.

Artificial inoculation of wheat plants

Artificial inoculation was done by spraying urediospore suspension (30 gram of spore/16 liter of water). After every 5th line/variety a line of highly susceptible wheat cultivar i.e. Morocco, was sown to act as rust spreader row. (Morocco is highly susceptible to all the prevalent rust races and provides a substrate for rapid multiplication and distribution of rust inoculums). The nursery was also surrounded by sowing two rows of morocco to increase the inoculums pressure.

Data collection

Leaf and Stripe rust reaction, symbol field response and response value were recorded by the modified Cobb’s scale described by Peterson et al. (1948). Disease severity was recorded after seven days’ interval. Rust data were recorded up to physiological maturity of the wheat. The disease severity data was for leaf and stripe rusts was converted into coefficient of infection by multiplying severity with constant value for field response as described by Stubbs et al. (1981) and Raelf et al. (1992). Cobb’s scale (Peterson et al., 1948) was used to record the rust severity data (Table 1).

Table 1: Leaf and Yellow rust reaction, symbol field response and response value.

Table 2: Response of different genotypes against leaf or brown rust of wheat.

Sixty eight resistant genotypes (AS-2002,BHK-2002,Bob-WHITE,BWP-2000,BWP-97, CHK-86, CHENAB-2000, CROW, GA-2002, HD-2169, HD-2179, INQ91, IQBAL2000, ERA, FSD-83, FSD-85, FRONTANA, KOH-97, LOCALWHITE, LU-26, LYP-73, MH97, NACOZAR-76, NASIR-2K, PARULLA, PARWAZ-94, PASBAN-90, PAVAN-76, PVW-343, PND-1, POTOHAR-73, PB-96, RAWAL-87, SHAFAQ-06, SARSABZ, UFFAQ-2000, UQAB-2000, FAREED-06, V-085205, V-87094, WL-711, YACORA, DR-O7028, DR-7029, V-04179, FSD-08, HD-29, WH-542, W462, LR-9, LR-14B, LR-19, LR-22A, LR-24, LR-28, LR-23GAZA, AOC-YRA, AOC+YRA, YR-1, YR-5, YR-7, YR-8, YR-10, YR-18, YR-24, YR-26, YRSP, SERI, PBW343, showed AUDPC as 170, 85, 70, 110, 80, 80, 85 and 95 respectively. Thirty-seven susceptible varieties such as (C271, C273, C518, C591, CHAKWAL-97, KOH-INOOR-83, KOHSAR-95, MAX-PAK65, PAK-81, PB-76, PB-81, PB-85, ROHTAS-90, SAHAR-06, SA-42, SHALIMAR-88, SPICA, V-02192, DAMAN-98, LR-1, LR-2B, LR-2C, LR-3, LR-10, LR-149, LR-16, LR-20, LR-22B, LR-23, LR-30, LR-B, LR-BWL-711, YR-2, TATARA, YR-9, YR-15 and YR-17) with response value 1.0 for each variety (Table 2).

Table 3: Response of different genotypes against stripe or yellow rust of wheat.

YR-7, YR-8, YR-27, PBW-343), with response value 1.0 for each variety. Three moderately resistant varieties (CHK-86, FAREED-06, LR-26) with response value 0.4 for each variety. Ten moderately susceptible varieties (LYP-73, MANTHAR, UQAB-2000, FSD-08, HD-29, LR-3, LR-149, LR-18, LR-21and LR-29) with response value 0.8 for each variety. Ten moderately resistant to moderately susceptible varieties (BLUE SILVER, CHK-97, GA-2002, HD-2169, LU-26, PAK-81, V-085205, WH-542, LR-20 and LR-27+31)with response value 0.6 for each variety (Table 3).

Relationship of environmental variables with disease severity of leaf rust and stripe rust

Effect of maximum temperature on leaf rust: The correlation of maximum temperature with leaf rust infection was found to be positive in all five genotypes/varieties. There was increasing trend in leaf rust disease development with maximum air temperature. The data shows that the disease severity

increase with the increase in Temperature in varieties MANTHAR, MAXPAL 65, SHALIMAR 88, MOROCCO and LR-30 (Figure 1).

Effect of minimum temperature on leaf rust: The correlation of minimum temperature with leaf rust infection was found to be positive in all five genotypes/varieties. There was increasing trend in leaf rust disease development with minimum air temperature. The data shows that the disease severity increase with the increase in Temperature in varieties MANTHAR, MAXPAL 65, SHALIMAR 88, MOROCCO and LR-30. (Figure 2).

Effect of relative humidity on leaf rust: The correlation of relative humidity with leaf rust infection was found to be positive in all five genotypes/varieties. There was increasing trend in leaf rust disease development with relative humidity. The data shows that the disease severity increase with the increase in Temperature in varieties MANTHAR, MAXPAL 65, SHALIMAR 88, MOROCCO and LR-30 (Figure 3).

Effect of rain fall on leaf rust: The correlation of rain fall with leaf rust infection was found to be negative in all five genotypes/varieties. There was decreasing trend in leaf rust disease development with rain fall. The data shows that the disease severity decrease with the increase in rain fall in varieties MANTHAR, MAXP AL 65, SHALIMAR 88, MOROCCO and LR-30 (Figure 4).

Effect of maximum temperature on stripe rust: The correlation of maximum temperature with leaf rust infection was found to be positive in all five genotypes/varieties. There was increasing trend in leaf rust disease development with maximum air temperature. The data shows that the disease severity increase with the increase in Temperature in varieties CHANNAB-2000,GA-2002,MANTHAR, ROHTAS 90 and SARSABZ (Figure 5).

Effect of minimum temperature on stripe rust: The correlation of minimum temperature with leaf rust infection was found to be positive in all five genotypes/varieties. There was increasing trend in leaf rust disease development with minimum air temperature. The data shows that the disease severity increase with the increase in Temperature in varieties CHANNAB-2000, GA-2002, MANTHAR, ROHTAS 90 and SARSABZ (Figure 6).

Effect of relative humidity on stripe rust: The correlation of relative humidity with leaf rust infection was found to be positive in all five genotypes/varieties. There was increasing trend in leaf rust disease development with relative humidity. The data shows that the disease severity increase with the increase in Temperature in varieties CHANNAB-2000, GA-2002, MANTHAR, ROHTAS 90 and SARSABZ (Figure 7).

Effect of rain fall on stripe rust: The correlation of rain fall with leaf rust infection was found to be negative in all five genotypes/varieties. There was decreasing trend in leaf rust disease development with rain fall. The data shows that the disease severity decrease with the increase in rain fall in varieties CHANNAB-2000,GA-2002, MANTHAR, ROHTAS 90 and SARSABZ (Figure 8).

Chemical control of brown rust and yellow rust: At the start of the experiment when no treatment was applied the value of mean disease severity was 40.

After three days’ mean disease severity was reduced in those blocks where fungicides were applied and in the block of control. Values remain constant which was 40. After 7 days and 10 days’ mean disease severity was also calculated (Table 4, Figure 9, Table 5, Figure 10).

Plant diseases are a great threat to plants, in such that fungal diseases facade a potential threat to successful cereal production in general and particularly wheat in Pakistan. Wheat is a staple food for the people of Pakistan so the rust diseases are of too economic

importance for Pakistan because they pose a serious threat to the wheat production. During the current research all the varieties showed a varying response regarding the development of disease with moderately resistant to highly susceptible. Yet it is too alarming that no variety is resistant against the rust pathogen in Pakistan. Afzal et al. (2009) during 2005-2007, carried out variability for field based partial resistance

that out of 188 cultivars, 150 responded with RRI value ≥7 ≤9 and were found in the desirable range; 28 cultivars were included among the acceptable range having RRI value ≥5 ≤ 7. However, only 10 cultivars showed RRI value <5 and were placed under undesirable range. Ahmad et al. (2010) screened thirty six genotypes against yellow rust to check their level of susceptibility or resistance. Among these, 18 were susceptible, 6 were moderately susceptible to susceptible, 7 were moderately resistant to moderately susceptible and 5 genotypes remained resistant. Wheat yield lost due to varying level of yellow rust

Table 4: Effect of different treatments on the disease severity of brown rust.

Table 5: Effect of different treatments on the disease severity of yellow rust.

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