An introgression on wheat chromosome 4DL in RL6077 (Thatcher*6/PI 250413) confers adult plant resistance to stripe rust and leaf rust (Lr67).

Adult plant resistance (APR) to leaf rust and stripe rust derived from the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) line PI250413 was previously identified in RL6077 (=Thatcher*6/PI250413). The leaf rust resistance gene in RL6077 is phenotypically similar to Lr34 which is located on chromosome 7D. It was previously hypothesized that the gene in RL6077 could be Lr34 translocated to another chromosome. Hybrids between RL6077 and Thatcher and between RL6077 and 7DS and 7DL ditelocentric stocks were examined for first meiotic metaphase pairing. RL6077 formed chain quadrivalents and trivalents relative to Thatcher and Chinese Spring; however both 7D telocentrics paired only as heteromorphic bivalents and never with the multivalents. Thus, chromosome 7D is not involved in any translocation carried by RL6077. A genome-wide scan of SSR markers detected an introgression from chromosome 4D of PI250413 transferred to RL6077 through five cycles of backcrossing to Thatcher. Haplotype analysis of lines from crosses of Thatcher × RL6077 and RL6058 (Thatcher*6/PI58548) × RL6077 showed highly significant associations between introgressed markers (including SSR marker cfd71) and leaf rust resistance. In a separate RL6077-derived population, APR to stripe rust was also tightly linked with cfd71 on chromosome 4DL. An allele survey of linked SSR markers cfd71 and cfd23 on a set of 247 wheat lines from diverse origins indicated that these markers can be used to select for the donor segment in most wheat backgrounds. Comparison of RL6077 with Thatcher in field trials showed no effect of the APR gene on important agronomic or quality traits. Since no other known Lr genes exist on chromosome 4DL, the APR gene in RL6077 has been assigned the name Lr67.

Markers to a common bunt resistance gene derived from 'Blizzard' wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and mapped to chromosome arm 1BS.

Common bunt, caused by Tilletia caries (DC.) Tul. & C. Tul. and T. laevis J.G Kuhn, is an economically important disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. The resistance in the winter wheat cultivar 'Blizzard' is effective against known races of common bunt in western Canada. The incorporation of resistance from Blizzard into field-ready cultivars may be accelerated through the use of molecular markers. Using the maize pollen method, a doubled haploid population of 147 lines was developed from the F(1) of the second backcross of Blizzard (resistant) by breeding line '8405-JC3C' (susceptible). Doubled haploid lines were inoculated at seeding with race T19 or T19 and L16 and disease reaction was examined under controlled conditions in 1999 and natural conditions in 2002, and 2003. Resistant:susceptible-doubled haploid lines segregated in a 1:1 ratio for bunt reaction, indicating single major gene segregation. Microsatellite primers polymorphic on the parents were screened on the population. Initial qualitative segregation analysis indicated that the wheat microsatellite markers Xgwm374, Xbarc128 and Xgwm264, located on wheat chromosome 1BS, were significantly linked to the resistance locus. Qualitative results were confirmed with quantitative trait locus analysis. The genetic distance, calculated with JoinMap, between the bunt resistance locus and overlapping markers Xgwm374, Xgwm264 and Xbarc128 was 3.9 cM. The three markers were validated on doubled haploid populations BW337/P9502&DAF1BB and Blizzard/P9514-AR17A3E evaluated for common bunt reaction in the growth chamber in 2007. These markers will be useful in selecting for the common bunt resistance from Blizzard and assist in identifying the resistance among potential new sources of resistance.

Effect of climate change on spring wheat yields in North America and Eurasia in 1981-2015 and implications for breeding.

Wheat yield dynamic in Canada, USA, Russia and Kazakhstan from 1981 till 2015 was related to air temperature and precipitation during wheat season to evaluate the effects of climate change. The study used yield data from the provinces, states and regions and average yield from 19 spring wheat breeding/research sites. Both at production and research sites grain yield in Eurasia was two times lower compared to North America. The yearly variations in grain yield in North America and Eurasia did not correlate suggesting that higher yield in one region was normally associated with lower yield in another region. Minimum and maximum air temperature during the wheat growing season (April-August) had tendency to increase. While precipitation in April-August increased in North American sites from 289 mm in 1981-1990 to 338 mm in 2006-2015 it remained constant and low at Eurasian sites (230 and 238 mm, respectively). High temperature in June and July negatively affected grain yield in most of the sites at both continents. Climatic changes resulted in substantial changes in the dates of planting and harvesting normally leading to extension of growing season. Longer planting-harvesting period was positively associated with the grain yield for most of the locations. The climatic changes since 1981 and spring wheat responses suggest several implications for breeding. Gradual warming extends the wheat growing season and new varieties need to match this to utilize their potential. Higher rainfall during the wheat season, especially in North America, will require varieties with higher yield potential responding to moisture availability. June is a critical month for spring wheat in both regions due to the significant negative correlation of grain yield with maximum temperature and positive correlation with precipitation. Breeding for adaptation to higher temperatures during this period is an important strategy to increase yield.