Evaluation of Timopheevi Wheats for Resistance to Rusts and Powdery Mildew

Twenty four accessions of timopheevi wheats were screened for adult plant resistance to stem rust, leaf rust, stripe rust and seedling resistance to powdery mildew at Wellington, a hot spot for rusts and other foliar diseases of wheat. The majority of Triticum timopheevi accessions exhibited nigh mature plant resistance to stem, leaf and stripe rusts and seedling resistance to powdery mildew. The only strain of T. militinse, a mutant of T. timopheevi, was found totally free from infection of all the three rusts and powdery mildew. However, the strains of T. araraticum showed high susceptibility to all three rusts but showed low infection to powdery mildew. T. timopheevi-derived genes Sr36, Sr37 were found effective against stem rust and Pm6 against powdery mildew.