Seedling and adult plant resistance to leaf rust in wheat

Forty exotic genetic stocks of bread wheat were tested in glasshouse and isolated single race nurseries against three pathotypes of race 77 and with mixture of pathotypes to observe their seedling and adult plant resistance to leaf rust. Twenty five genotypes showed adult plant resistance and significant genetic differences were detected to enable their grouping in 8 distinct classes. Fifteen genetic stocks depicted seedling resistance at the seedling and adult plant stages when tested against race. 77-5 and were placed in three distinct groups. The study indicated that adequate variability for seedling and adult plant resistance to leaf rust exists in these germplasm accessions when tested against native pathotypes of leaf rust.