Resistance of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to powdery mildew under the conditions of the Central Non-Black-Earth Region

Background. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the world’s most important food crops. In the central area of Russia’s NonBlack-Earth Region, powdery mildew (caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (DC.) Golovin ex Speer) poses a significant threat to yield. This underscores the importance of breeding resistant cultivars to ensure stable grain production and quality. The objective of this study was to identify spring bread wheat cultivars of diverse ecogeographic origin with high resistance to powdery mildew for their subsequent use in breeding programs. Materials and methods. The study was conducted from 2022 to 2024 under natural infection conditions at the Field Experiment Station of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The study included 43 spring bread wheat accessions from both Russian and international breeding programs. The zoned cv. ‘Zlata’ served as a reference. Experiments were performed on 1 m² plots, with three replications. Throughout the growing season, phenological observations were made and powdery mildew resistance was assessed using a 9-point scale, where 1 point indicated susceptibility (S); 3 points, moderate susceptibility (MS); 5 points, moderate resistance (MR); and 7–9 points, high resistance (R). Harvesting was done manually, threshing was performed using an MPTU-500 bundle thresher, and yield was recorded by weight. Results and conclusion. The correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive relationship (r = 0.49**) between yield and powdery mildew resistance. Accessions with high resistance to the disease were selected: ‘Saratovskaya 74’, ‘Simbirtsit’, ‘Laska’, ‘Mandarina’, ‘Agata’, ‘Favorit’, and lines Nos. 23, 70 and 215. The yield of the resistant cvs. ‘Simbirtsit’ and ‘Mandarina’ over the years of study exceeded the productivity of the zoned cv. ‘Zlata’. These accessions are recommended for use in breeding programs aimed at developing resistant spring wheat cultivars.