Genetic basis of rust resistance of a high yielding wheat line from northern hills zone

Genetic basis of rust resistance was investigated in a bread wheat line HS424 which is bred for Northern Hills Zone of India. The study showed that HS424 is resistant to leaf rust and stem rust pathotypes prevalent in India. At seedling stage it was resistant to stripe rust pathotypes except 46S119. However, at adult plant stage, HS424 showed only moderate susceptibility to pathotype 46S119. Low terminal disease against pt. 46S119 must be due to additional adult plant resistance factors in HS424. At least two resistance genes were involved in the resistance against leaf rust pathotypes wherein resistance to pathotypes 77-5 and 77-2 was governed by single dominant gene and two independent dominant genes, respectively. Stem rust resistance was governed by three genes. Resistance to pt. 40A was due to two independent dominant genes whereas single dominant gene imparted resistance to pt. 40-1. Adult plant resistance gene Sr2 was also postulated in HS424. Based on infection type data, Inheritance study, morphological-marker, genetic linkage and molecular marker analyses it is concluded that HS424 carries genes L24+Lr26+Sr2+Sr24+Sr31+Yr9.