Physiologic specialization of Puccinia triticina in Canada in 1998

In 1998, leaf rust of wheat (Triticum aestivum), caused by Puccinia triticina, was widespread throughout the prairies of western Canada. Warm summer temperatures with frequent dew periods favored spread of the disease in wheat fields in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Canada Prairie Spring wheat cultivars (AC Vista, AC Foremost, AC Crystal) were susceptible to leaf rust, while the bread wheat cultivars with leaf rust resistance genes Lr16 and Lr13 or Lr34 (AC Majestic, AC Domain, AC Barrie) had high to moderate levels of leaf rust infections. Bread wheat cultivars AC Cora, AC Minto, Pasqua, and McKenzie had trace to low levels of leaf rust infection. Thirty-four virulence phenotypes of P. triticina were identified on 16 Thatcher lines, which are near-isogenic for leaf rust resistance genes. Phenotypes with virulence to Lr16 increased to 25% of isolates in Manitoba and Saskatchewan in 1998. Forty-three isolates were also tested for virulence to plants with the adult plant resistance genes Lr12, Lr13, Lr34, and Lr13,34. Most isolates had virulence to Lr12 and Lr13. All isolates had lower infection type on adult plants with Lr34 compared with Thatcher.