Since 2000, stripe rust, caused by the fungal pathogen (Puccinia striiformis Westend. f.sp. tritici Eriks.) has resulted in yield losses of wheat (Triticum aestivium L.) in the United States, that exceeded the combined losses of leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) and stem rust (Puccinia gramins Pers.:Pers f. sp. Tritici Eriks. E. Henn.). The objectives of this study are to identify and map adult plant stripe rust resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) in soft red winter (SRW) wheat that are effective against race PST-100, which is the predominant race of the pathogen in the eastern U.S. Adult plant resistance (APR) was characterized in the resistant wheat lines "USG 3555", VA00W-38, and "Coker 9553". Resistance in each of the lines was evaluated in populations derived from crosses with susceptible lines "Neuse", Pioneer Brand "26R46", and VA01W-21, respectively. On chromosomes 1AS, 4BL, and 7D of USG 3555, QTL were identified that explain on average 12.8, 73.0, and 13.6 percent of the variation for stripe rust infection type (IT), and 13.5, 72.3, and 10.5 percent of the variation for stripe rust severity. A QTL from Neuse was identified on 3A that on average explains 10.9 percent of the variation for IT and 13.0 percent of the variation for severity. On chromosomes 2AS and 4BL of VA00W-38, QTL were identified that on average explain 58.9 and 19.3 percent of the variation for stripe rust IT, and 51.9 and 12.1 percent of the variation for severity. On chromosomes 6BL and 3BL of Pioneer 26R46, QTL were identified that on average explain 8.9 and 2.1 percent of the variation for IT and 11.7 and 3.9 percent of the variation for severity. Coker 9553 possesses the QTL on 4BL that is also present in USG 3555 and VA00W-38. The SSR markers, Xgwm296, Xbarc163, and Xwmc756 were tightly linked to QTL on chromosomes 2AS, 4BL, and 6BL, respectively, and their use and development of additional diagnostic markers will facilitate the incorporation and pyramiding of stripe rust resistance QTL into SRW wheat lines via marker-assisted selection. / Ph. D.

Doctor of Philosophy / Genetics Interdepartmental Program / Bikram S. Gill / Leaf rust, caused by fungus Puccinia triticina, is an important foliar disease of wheat worldwide. Breeding for race-nonspecific resistant cultivars is the best strategy to combat this disease. Aegilops tauschii, D genome donor of hexaploid wheat, has provided resistance to several pests and pathogens of wheat. To identify potentially new adult plant resistance (APR) genes, 371 geographically diverse Ae. tauschii accessions were evaluated in field with leaf rust (LR) composite culture of predominant races. Accessions from Afghanistan only displayed APR whereas both seedling resistance and APR were common in the Caspian Sea region. Seventeen accessions with high APR were selected for production of synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW), using ‘TetraPrelude’ and/or ‘TetraThatcher’ as tetraploid parents. Six SHWs were produced and evaluated for APR to LR and resistance to tan spot at seedling stage. Genetic analysis and mapping of APR introgressed from accession TA2474 was investigated in recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population derived from cross between SHW, TA4161-L3 and spring wheat cultivar, ‘WL711’. Genotyping-by-sequencing approach was used to genotype the RILs. Maximum disease severity (MDS) for LR was significantly correlated among all experiments and APR to LR was highly heritable trait in this population. Nine genomic regions significantly associated with APR to LR were QLr.ksu-1AL, QLr.ksu-1BS, QLr.ksu-1BL.1, QLr.ksu-1BL.2, QLr.ksu-2DS, QLr.ksu-2DL, QLr.ksu-5AL, QLr.ksu-5DL and QLr.ksu-6BL. Association of QLr.ksu-1BL.1 with marker Xwmc44 indicated this locus could be slow-rusting APR gene, Lr46/Yr29. QTLs detected on 2DS, 2DL and 5DL were contributed by TA4161-L3 and are novel, along with QLr.ksu-5AL. Tan spot, caused by necrotrophic fungus, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, has recently emerged as a damaging disease of wheat worldwide. To identify QTLs associated with resistance to Race 1 of P. tritici-repentis, F[subscript]2:3 population derived from cross between SHW, TA4161-L1 and winter wheat cultivar, ‘TAM105’ was used. Two major effect QTLs, QTs.ksu-1AS.1 and QTs.ksu-7AS were significantly associated with tan spot resistance and contributed by TA4161-L1. QTs.ksu-7AS is a novel QTL and explained 17% of the phenotypic variation. Novel QTLs for APR to LR and tan spot identified in SHWs add new variation for broadening the gene pool of wheat and providing resources for breeding of durable resistant cultivars.

Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis (DC.) E.O. Speer f. sp. tritici E'm. Marchal (syn. Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici), is one of the major diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. The use of cultivars with resistance to powdery mildew is an efficient, economical and environmentally safe way to control powdery mildew. Race-specific resistance has been extensively used in breeding programs; however, it is ephemeral. Adult plant resistance (APR) to powdery mildew is more durable as demonstrated by the cultivar Massey, which has maintained its APR to powdery mildew since its release in 1981. To develop an efficient breeding strategy, it is essential to understand the genetic basis of APR. The objectives of this study were to identify molecular markers associated with APR to powdery mildew in common wheat Massey and to verify their association using recombinant inbred (RI) lines. A cross was made between the powdery mildew susceptible cultivar Becker and Massey. One hundred and eighty F2:3 lines were rated for disease severity under natural pressure of powdery mildew in field. Using both restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and microsatellite markers, three quantitative trait loci (QTL), designated as QPm.vt-1B, QPm.vt-2A and QPm.vt-2B, were identified in the Becker x Massey F2:3 generation. These loci are located on chromosomes 1B, 2A and 2B, respectively, and explained 17%, 29% and 11% of the total variation among F2:3 lines for powdery mildew resistance, respectively. Cumulatively, the three QTLs explained 50% of the phenotypic variation among F2:3 lines in a multi-QTL model. The three QTLs associated with APR to powdery mildew were derived from Massey and displayed additive gene action. QPm.vt-2B also fits a recessive model for APR to powdery mildew. In the second part of this study, 97 RI lines were developed from the Becker x Massey cross. The RI lines were evaluated for APR to powdery mildew under natural disease pressure for three years. Both single marker analysis and interval mapping confirmed the presence of the three QTLs identified in the F2:3 generation. The three QTLs, QPm.vt-1B, QPm.vt-2A and QPm.vt-2B, accounted for 15%, 26% and 15% of the variation of mean powdery mildew severity of the RI lines over three years. In a multi-QTL model, the three QTLs explained 44% of the phenotypic variation of the RI lines. The RI lines were grouped according to the genotype of the three QTLs, represented by markers GWM304a, KSUD22 and PSP3100, respectively. The RI lines with Massey alleles at all three loci had a mean disease severity of 3.4%, whereas the RI lines with Becker alleles at all three loci had a mean disease severity of 22.3%. These severity values are similar to those of the corresponding parents. The molecular markers identified and verified as to their association with APR to powdery mildew in Massey have the potential for use in marker-assisted selection for resistance to powdery mildew and in pyramiding powdery mildew resistance genes, as well as facilitating a better understanding of the molecular basis of APR to powdery mildew. / Ph. D.

Powdery mildew, caused by the pathogen Blumeria graminis (DC) Speer (Syn. Erysiphe graminis DC) f. sp. tritici, is a major disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Race-specific resistance is easily identified in the field due to its qualitative phenotype and it is easy to incorporate because it is inherited as a single gene. Unfortunately, this type of resistance is easily overcome by the pathogen. Traits associated with quantitative trait loci (QTL) such as adult-plant resistance (APR), have become popular with plant breeders because of their durability over a wide geographic range and time. Due to the quantitative nature of these genes, they are difficult to study requiring multiple assessments of disease development under natural conditions in more than one location over a period of several weeks. Numerous QTL for APR to powdery mildew have been mapped in independent studies in different wheat backgrounds. The wheat cultivar Massey has been the subject of several studies due to its APR to powdery mildew that has remained effective for several decades. However, it has been difficult to identity simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers that are tightly linked to the QTL for APR in Massey. Such markers give breeders an advantage by allowing them to quickly identify and select for traits that would be difficult to distinguish in the field among breeding progeny from several backgrounds. Therefore, identification of tightly linked markers associated with APR to powdery mildew is necessary so that these traits can be selected for reliably in progeny. / Master of Science

Disease resistance is critical in soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks and stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f.sp. tritici Eriks. are destructive pathogens of wheat. From 2014 to 2015 phenotypic data was collected at diverse locations for resistance to leaf rust (North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia) and stripe rust (Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia) in a Pioneer ‘25R47’ /‘Jamestown’ (P47/JT) population composed of 186 F5:9 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Analysis of the P47/JT population identified two quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leaf rust resistance on chromosome 5B and two QTL for stripe rust resistance on chromosomes 3B and 6A. Phenotypic variation (%) explained by the putative leaf rust resistance QTL of Jamestown on 5B was as high as 22.1%. Variation explained by the putative stripe rust resistance QTL of Jamestown on 3B and 6A was as high as 11.1 and 14.3%, respectively. Jamestown is postulated to contain gene Lr18. Seedlings of 186 F5:9 recombinant inbred lines from the P47/JT population and 200 F2 seedlings from eight other crosses including Jamestown and/or the Lr18 host differential line RL6009 (Thatcher*6/Africa 43) were screened with P. triticina race TNRJJ. Genetic analysis of the populations was conducted to validate the presence of Lr18 in Jamestown. Results of linkage analysis identified SNP maker IWB41960 linked within 5 cM of gene Lr18 in all three populations. From 2016 to 2017 phenotypic data was collected at diverse locations for resistance to leaf rust (Illinois, North Carolina, and Virginia) in a ‘2013412’ (PI 667644) / VA10W-21 (PI 676295) population (412/21) composed of 157 doubled haploid (DH) lines. The 412/21 DH lines were genotyped via genotyping by sequence (GBS). Analysis of the 412/21 population identified one quantitative trait loci (QTL) region associated with adult plant resistance to leaf rust on chromosome 1B. Phenotypic variation (%) explained by the putative leaf rust resistance QTL of 2013412 on 1B was as high as 40.1%. Kompetitive allele-specific (KASP) markers KASP_S1B_8414614 and KASP_S1B_8566239 were developed as markers for use in marker assisted selection. / Ph. D.

Leaf rust and stripe rust of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are caused by the fungal pathogens Puccinia triticina, and Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici, respectively. In North America, the incorporation of adult-plant resistance (APR) genes into breeding lines has been an important strategy to achieve durable resistance to both diseases. Previously, the spring wheat cultivar AC Domain was reported to express an effective level of adult-plant resistance (APR) to leaf rust under field conditions. Early gene postulation work had suggested AC Domain might carry the APR gene Lr34 due to its phenotypic similarity to other Lr34 carrying lines. However, new gene specific markers have shown that AC Domain is not a carrier of Lr34. The objective of this research was to genetically localize the resistance in AC Domain, which is important because the cultivar has frequently been used as a parent in Canadian breeding programs, primarily for its value as a source of pre-harvest sprouting resistance. A mapping population of 185 doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from the cross ‘RL4452’ by ‘AC Domain’ was used for this study. RL4452 is a known carrier of Lr34. During 2011-2012, the DH population was evaluated in field leaf rust nurseries at Saskatoon, SK and Portage, MB and at a stripe rust nursery at Lethbridge, AB. Field results indicated that rust resistance in the mapping population was variable, with lines ranging from highly resistant, to highly susceptible. DH lines carrying Lr34 showed a high level of resistance to both diseases. Thus, the non-Lr34 carriers were genotyped using select SSR markers, and by an Illumina 9k Infinium iSelect SNP assay for subsequent quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. QTL analysis revealed that AC Domain donated a major resistance QTL located on chromosome 2BS, that mapped 46 cM proximal to markers linked to Lr16, and explained a significant portion of the leaf and stripe rust phenotypic variance in all test environments. In addition, this QTL was significantly associated with the expression leaf tip necrosis (LTN), reduction in area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), and coefficient of infection (CI). In certain environments the interaction between the 2B QTL and Lr34 was additive resulting in a superior level of rust resistance. Indoor rust testing showed AC Domain was susceptible to both diseases at the seedling stage. Taken together these results suggest that the identified resistance in AC Domain is likely due to the presence of an APR gene, on chromosome 2BS.