Cereal breeding for biotic stress resistance in Martonvásár

The objectives of this study were to examine the resistance of cereal varieties and lines under field conditions near Martonvásár during the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 growing seasons. The two studied seasons were characterized by the dominance of different rust diseases. In the first period, a very strong yellow rust epidemic, while in the second period, a leaf rust outbreak provided a good opportunity for selecting resistant lines. Leaf spot pathogens were continuously present in the cereal fields during the examined vegetation periods. After microscopic examination, several leaf spot pathogens were identified, including Pyrenophora species, Septoria leaf blotch, caused by the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici (formerly known as Septoria tritici or Mycosphaerella graminicola), the pathogen of glume blotch (Parastagonospora nodorum), as well as Fusarium and Alternaria species, along with a bacterial infection. Cereal varieties and lines with good resistance and tolerance were identified in both growing seasons. Observations from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 growing seasons reinforce the long-standing experience that, besides the characteristics of the growing season, resistance of varieties plays a crucial role in disease management and successful cereal production. Within the European Union’s "Green Deal," the "Farm to Fork" strategy emphasizes the goal of reducing pesticide use by 50% by 2030. Breeding of resistant cultivars is the most economic and eco-friendly method to control plant diseases. The development of high-yielding, high quality, as well as disease-resistant varieties has always been a priority in the breeding programs in Martonvásár.