Quantitative trait loci for high-temperature adult-plant and slow-rusting resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp tritici in wheat cultivars

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most damaging diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum) globally. High-temperature adult-plant resistance (HTAPR) and slow-rusting have great potential for sustainable management of the disease. The wheat cultivars Luke and Aquileja have been previously reported to possess HTAPR and slow-rusting to stripe rust, respectively. Aquileja displayed less number of stripes per unit leaf area than Luke, while Luke showed lower infection type than Aquileja at adult-plant stages of growth under high-temperature conditions. The objectives of this study were to confirm the resistances and to map the resistance genes in Luke and Aquileja. Luke was crossed with Aquileja, and 326 of the F-2 plants were genotyped using 282 microsatellite primer pairs. These F-2 plants and their derived F-3 families were evaluated for resistance to stripe rust by inoculation in the fields and greenhouses of high- and low-temperatures. Infection type was recorded for both seedlings and adult plants, and stripe number was recorded for adult plants only. Two quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified, on the short arm of chromosome 2B, to be significantly associated with infection type at adult-plant stages in the fields and in the high-temperature greenhouse. The locus distal to centromere, referred to as QYrlu.cau-2BS1, and the locus proximal to centromere, referred to as QYrlu.cau-2BS2, were separated by a genetic distance of about 23 cM. QYrlu.cau-2BS1 was flanked by the microsatellite markers Xwmc154 and Xgwm148, and QYrlu.cau-2BS2 was flanked by Xgwm148 and Xabrc167. QYrlu.cau-2BS1 and QYrlu.cau-2BS2 explained up to 36.6 and 41.5% of the phenotypic variation of infection type, respectively, and up to 78.1% collectively. No significant interaction between the two loci was detected. Another QTL, referred to as QYraq.cau-2BL, was detected on the long arm of chromosome 2B to be significantly associated with stripe number. QYraq.cau-2BL was flanked by the microsatellite markers Xwmc175 and Xwmc332, and it explained up to 61.5% of the phenotypic variation of stripe number. It is possible that these three QTL are previously un-mapped loci for resistance to stripe rust.