Genomics-driven discovery of superior alleles and genes for yellow rust resistance in wheat

Abstract

Yellow rust (YR), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, poses a significant threat to wheat production worldwide. Breeding resistant cultivars is crucial for managing this disease. However, our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying YR resistance remains fragmented. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive analysis with variome data from 2,191 wheat accessions worldwide and over 47,000 YR response records across several environments and pathogen races. Through genome-wide association studies, we established a landscape of 431 YR resistance loci, providing a rich resource for resistance gene deployment. Furthermore, we cloned genes corresponding to three resistance loci, namely Yr5x (effective against several P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races), Yr6/Pm5 (conferred resistance to two pathogen species) and YrKB (TaEDR2-B; conferring broad-spectrum rust resistance without yield penalty). These findings offer valuable insights into the genetic basis of YR resistance in wheat and lay the foundation for engineering wheat with durable disease resistance.