Genetic resources in wheat breeding for resistance to common bunt

Abstract

Common bunt (Tilletia caries (D.C.) Tul. & C. Tul. (syn. Tilletia tritici (Bjerk.) G. Winter) and T. laevis J.G. Kuhn (syn. T. foetida (Wallr.) Liro) is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat in many wheat-producing countries. Contamination of wheat with common bunt spores leads to significant (up to 40%) yield losses. Most varieties currently cultivated are susceptible to one or more common bunt races. The search for new sources of sustainability is needed. Most sources of bunt resistance have poor agronomic indicators. The challenge is to introduce resistance genes, while simultaneously eliminating bad agronomic traits. The purpose of research was the screening of bread wheat genetic resources of Kazakhstan and world breeding for resistance to common bunt and productivity in conditions of the foothill zone of Zailiysky Alatau (48° N, 77° E and 740 m above sea level). The assessment of resistance to common bunt of a wide range of bread wheat materials of local (79 varieties) and 70 accessions world breeding (СИММИТ - CBUNT-RN 2015-2016) in the foothill zone of the Zailiysky Alatau shows an ambiguous level of resistance depending on the climatic conditions of the year of research. To adapt to the needs of organic farming, CB-resistant breeding lines and registered varieties must be assessment by using spores with a certain virulence.