Host suitability of different wheat lines to Pratylenchus thornei under naturally infested field conditions in Turkey

The root-lesion nematode, Pratylenchus thornei, attacks a wide range of crops and causes significant reductions in global grain production. Breeding programmes are currently restricted to using parents with moderate resistance to P. thornei as cereal cultivars with complete resistance are yet to be identified. This study evaluated 484 of CIMMYT's spring wheat accessions for resistance to P. thornei of which 56 lines were pre-identified as resistant under controlled growth room conditions. These lines were further evaluated for their resistance and tolerance reactions under field conditions, where 14 accessions maintained their resistance and 16 were moderately resistant against P. thornei. Four lines gave excellent resistant and tolerance reactions to P. thornei. The relationship between the nematode reproduction factor (P-f/P-i) and wheat grain yield in field experiments fits a linear regression model. These findings could be useful for improving P. thornei resistance in wheat.