Screening of Wheat Genotypes Against Leaf Rust Under Artificial and Natural Environmental Condition

Rust diseases are considered to be responsible for significant qualitative and quantitative damages on wheat. However, the severity of rust diseases can be managed through development of resistant lines. The present study was aimed to scrutinize existing wheat germplasm against leaf rust and stripe rust of wheat. For this purpose 30 wheat genotypes were assessed for disease resistance under artificial inoculation conditions and 16 genotypes were evaluated under natural conditions at Nuclear Institute for Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam, Pakistan. The disease severity ratings were taken according to Cobs’scale. The studies revealed that wheat genotypes were markedly differed in their resistance to leaf and stripe rust. Among the tested wheat lines / varieties, 6 were rated as resistant, 6 moderately resistant, 13 showed MRMS type response, 2 showed moderately susceptible reaction, 3 lines/varieties displayed susceptible response against leaf rust under artificial conditions. Moreover, under natural conditions 1 was rated as resistant, 2 showed MRMS type response against leaf rust and all were found resistant or immune against stripe rusts under both the conditions. Hence, it was suggested that resistant genotypes evaluated from these studies can be deployed in the future breeding strategies to evolve the resistant varieties against leaf & stripe rusts of wheat