Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is major cereal crop consumed by approximately 2.5 billion of global population. However, the production is affected by many diseases. Among three rusts, leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) is the most crucial disease of wheat that causes yield loss. Repeated breakdown of resistance genes for leaf rust (Lr9, Lr18 and Lr28) led to the study of adult plant resistance and slow rust resistance gene which are considered as more long -lasting. Host resistance is the most economical way to manage wheat leaf and stripe rust. In present study164 exotic germplasms of bread wheat were screened for disease resistance against stripe and leaf rust under epiphytotic conditions and disease severity with Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) was analysed. All the fourteen accessions showing resistant to leaf rust in the field condition also gave lower AUDPC value. Therefore, cultivars having lower AUDPC values were acceptable for practical purposes. Present research provided the resistant wheat lines to the breeders to incorporate in their breeding programme against leaf rust.