S. RAJARAM

RESOURCE SEEDS INTERNATIONAL

CONSULTANT-ICARDA BARLEY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

2nd International Wheat

STRIPE RUST SYMPOSIUM

IZMIR TURKEY

28th April – 1 May, 2014

A BREEDER´S REFLECTION ON GLOBAL YELLOW RUST OF WHEAT

My Own Experiance on YR Breeding in Wheat & Barley

1969-1996 Cimmyt Wheat-Mexico 2004-2014 RSI Wheat- Mexico 2008-2012 ICARDA Wheat-Syria 2006-2009 RSI Wheat-California 2006-2014 SFC Wheat-India 2010-2014 ICARDA Barley-Mexico

Vulnerability of Modern Wheats in Indian Subcontinent & countries of CWANA (Silk Road)

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Uzbekistan, Kirgistan, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morroco, Ethiopia.

Landmark Varieties Attila, Kauz and Veery´s & their Derivatives

- Higher yield > 20 %

- Higher level of drought & heat

Tolerance compared to previous varieties (1B/1R)

- Higher level of Stability of Performance in Farmer Fields

- High degree of HLB & other Foliar Blight Tolerance

Epidemiology of YR in Subcontinent and CWANA

Pathotypes movement well documented

Inportance of local mutation less appreciated

Races in YR well documented through countries & Reginal labs

Balance between virulance spectrum & aggresssiveness less understood

Adaptation of YR Races to higher temperatures not very well apreciated

Genetics of YR Resistance

Multiple genes & alleles have been identified

Genetic interactions of these genes less understood

Role of slow Rusting to YR and its effectiveness in most vulnerable region such as CWANA not clearly defined

Durable YR Resistance

Varieties Ciento Cincuenta (Ecuador), little joss (England) and Capelle Deprez (France) and others have demonstrated long term durability

Perhaps minor genes operating but difficult to manipulate these genes

Modern Varieties Pavon 76 & Attila (PBW343) have some degree of partial resistance but not adequate

Breeding for YR Resistence

Identify geographical based resistant genotypes

Heavy epidemics of YR in Breeding nurseries with a mix of races

My Own Experiance & Expectation

- Spring x Winter crosses

Atilla = Nordeprez/CIMMYT & Indian advanced lines

Veery = Kavkaz/CIMMYT lines

- Exploitation of Aegilops as in RSM-NORMAN F2008

- CIMMYT advanced lines x California lines

My Recommendations to Breeding Institutions & Farmers

A good level of YR Resistance in varietiesChemical control ( 1 aplication on resistant varieties; 2

aplications on susceptible ones)This recommendation to farmers would prolong the

life of effective genes, avoid catastrofic epidemic and economic loss

Thank you