Identification and molecular mapping of a wheat gene for resistance to an unadapted isolate of Colletotrichum cereale

Identification of Rmg11 in Tetraploid Wheat as a New Blast Resistance Gene with Tolerance to High Temperature

Wheat blast caused by Pyricularia oryzae pathotype Triticum has spread to Asia (Bangladesh) and Africa (Zambia) from the endemic region of South America. Wheat varieties with durable resistance are needed, but very limited resistance resources are currently available. After screening tetraploid wheat accessions, we found an exceptional accession St19 (Triticum dicoccum, KU-114). Primary leaves of St19 were resistant not only to Brazilian isolate Br48 (a carrier of Type eI of AVR-Rmg8) but also to Br48ΔA8, an AVR-Rmg8 disruptant of Br48, even at 30°C, suggesting that the resistance of St19 is tolerant to high temperature and controlled by a gene or genes other than Rmg8. When an F2 population derived from a cross between St19 and St30 (a susceptible accession of T. paleocolchicum, KU-191) was inoculated with Br48, resistant and susceptible seedlings segregated in a 3:1 ratio, indicating that resistance of St19 is conferred by a single gene. We designated this gene Rmg11. Molecular mapping revealed that the RMG11 locus is located on the short arm of chromosome 7A. Rmg11 is effective not only against other two Brazilian isolates (Br5 and Br116.5) but also against Bangladeshi isolates (T-108 and T-109) at the seedling stage. At the heading stage, lines containing Rmg11 were highly susceptible to the Bangladeshi isolates but moderately resistant to the Brazilian isolates. Stacking of Rmg11 with Rmg8 and the 2NS segment is highly recommended to achieve durable wheat blast resistance.

Rmg7, a New Gene for Resistance to Triticum Isolates of Pyricularia oryzae Identified in Tetraploid Wheat

A single gene for resistance, designated Rmg7 (Resistance to Magnaporthe grisea 7), was identified in a tetraploid wheat accession, St24 (Triticum dicoccum, KU120), against Br48, a Triticum isolate of Pyricularia oryzae. Two other wheat accessions, St17 (T. dicoccum, KU112) and St25 (T. dicoccum, KU122), were also resistant against Br48 and showed a similar disease reaction pattern to St24. Crosses between these resistant accessions yielded no susceptible F2 seedlings, suggesting that St24, St17, and St25 carry the same resistance gene. Furthermore, a single avirulence gene corresponding to Rmg7 was detected in a segregation analysis of random F1 progenies between Br48 and MZ5-1-6, an Eleusine isolate virulent to St24 at a higher temperature. This avirulence gene was recognized not only by St24, but also by St17 and St25, thus supporting the preceding results indicating that all three accessions carry Rmg7. This resistance gene may have potential in future wheat breeding programs.

Identification of a hidden resistance gene in tetraploid wheat using laboratory strains of Pyricularia oryzae produced by backcrossing

In the process (BC3F1 generation) of backcrossing an Avena isolate of Pyricularia oryzae with a Triticum isolate, color mutants with white mycelia were obtained. These white mutants lacked virulence on all (31/31) hexaploid and most (28/32) tetraploid wheat lines tested. In a BC4F1 population, white and black cultures segregated in a 1:1 ratio, suggesting that the mutant phenotype is controlled by a single gene. Furthermore, the mycelial color was perfectly linked with avirulence in the BC4F1 population; white cultures were all avirulent on common wheat (Triticum aestivum) 'Norin 4' (N4) whereas black cultures were all virulent. White cultures in the BC3F1 and BC4F1 generations were also avirulent on tetraploid wheat (T. dicoccoides) accession 'KU109' (Tat4), which was susceptible to all cultures derived from the parental wild isolates through the BC2F1 generation. A cross between Tat4 and a susceptible tetraploid (T. paleocolchicum) accession 'KU196' (Tat14) produced resistant and susceptible F2 seedlings in a 3:1 ratio against the white cultures. In the F3 generation homozygous resistant/segregating/homozygous susceptible lines segregated in a 1:2:1 ratio. These results suggest that the resistance of Tat4 to the white cultures is controlled by a single major gene. This gene, tentatively designated as RmgTd(t), is considered to be a hidden resistance gene because it was not detected with the Br58, F1, BC1F1, or BC2F1 cultures. Cytological analysis revealed that the moderate resistance controlled by RmgTd(t) was associated with a hypersensitive reaction of mesophyll cells.