STRIPE RUST RESISTANCE GENES AND QTL FROM TWO PAKISTANI WHEAT LINES

Stripe rust is an important fungal disease of common wheat that can cause significant yield losses. Multiple forms of management are possible, primarily either by controlling the virulence of the pathogen by deploying specific fungicides found to mitigate disease or the resistance of the plant by employing certain cultivars bred to tolerate disease. On one hand, regularly spraying recommended fungicides is effective, but is a less favorable option because of corresponding cost, time, skill required for proper use, and risk associated with improper use. On the other hand, simply planting resistant cultivars is also effective, but is a more favorable option because disease can be reduced and delayed intrinsically via innate resistance rather than extrinsically via fungicide use. However, selective pressure eventually enables new combinations of virulence genes to overcome resistance genes. Thus, scientific research continually seeks new combinations of resistance genes to overcome virulence genes. This research focuses on finding molecular markers linked to genetic sequences responsible for phenotypic traits such as reduced or delayed disease. The results will enable continual marker assisted selection of new lines and breeding of improved cultivars.