Mapping of powdery mildew resistance gene Pm53 introgressed from Aegilops speltoides into soft red winter wheat

A powdery mildew resistance gene was introgressed from Aegilops speltoides into winter wheat and mapped to chromosome 5BL. Closely linked markers will permit marker-assisted selection for the resistance gene. Powdery mildew of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major fungal disease in many areas of the world, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt). Host plant resistance is the preferred form of disease prevention because it is both economical and environmentally sound. Identification of new resistance sources and closely linked markers enable breeders to utilize these new sources in marker-assisted selection as well as in gene pyramiding. Aegilops speltoides (2n = 2x = 14, genome SS), has been a valuable disease resistance donor. The powdery mildew resistant wheat germplasm line NC09BGTS16 (NC-S16) was developed by backcrossing an Ae. speltoides accession, TAU829, to the susceptible soft red winter wheat cultivar 'Saluda'. NC-S16 was crossed to the susceptible cultivar 'Coker 68-15' to develop F-2:3 families for gene mapping. Greenhouse and field evaluations of these F-2:3 families indicated that a single gene, designated Pm53, conferred resistance to powdery mildew. Bulked segregant analysis showed that multiple simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers specific to chromosome 5BL segregated with the resistance gene. The gene was flanked by markers Xgwm499, Xwmc759, IWA6024 (0.7 cM proximal) and IWA2454 (1.8 cM distal). Pm36, derived from a different wild wheat relative (T. turgidum var. dicoccoides), had previously been mapped to chromosome 5BL in a durum wheat line. Detached leaf tests revealed that NC-S16 and a genotype carrying Pm36 differed in their responses to each of three Bgt isolates. Pm53 therefore appears to be a new source of powdery mildew resistance.