African Journal of
Plant Science

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Plant Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0824
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPS
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 804

Article in Press

Introgression of adult plant resistance genes and marker assisted selection for leaf rust resistance in an F2 population of Kana, a released wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar in Zimbabwe

Bruce Mutari, Sripada Mahabala Udupa, Peter Mavindidze, Charles Shelton Mutengwa

  •  Received: 24 August 2016
  •  Accepted: 20 September 2016
The incorporation of rust resistance genes into wheat cultivars is the most economic and effective approach of controlling rusts. The objective of this research was to incorporate adult plant resistance genes 'Lr34 and Lr68' into the rust susceptible commercial cultivar Kana+Sr2, Lr46'. Cultivar Parula+Sr2, Lr34' Lr46, Lr68' was used as the donor parent. Sequence tagged site markers, namely csLV34 and csGS were used to screen 36 F2 wheat progenies for the presence of Lr34 and Lr68, respectively. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed among the progenies with respect to the coefficient of infection (CI). Thirty-two progenies had CI values that were not significantly different from the donor parent. Four progenies had CI values that were not significantly different from the recurrent parent. Nineteen F2 progenies had both Lr34 and Lr68 leaf rust resistance genes. Out of the 19 progenies, 11 and 8 progenies carried the Lr34 gene in the homozygous and heterozygous resistant states respectively. The segregation ratios of Lr34 and Lr68 in both single gene and two independent gene models followed Mendel's' Law of segregation. Background selection should be conducted in all the progenies possessing a combination of Lr34 and Lr68 before initiating backcrosses to reduce linkage drag. Phenotypic evaluations in combination with Marker assisted selection are efficient approaches for identifying and selecting progenies resistant to leaf rust.

Keywords: Kana, leaf rust resistance genes, Parula, sequence tagged site, wheat progenies.