Northern Kazakhstan and Western Siberia of Russia represent a relatively uniform continuous area of spring wheat cultivation of ~20 million ha. Despite the dry climate, cultivation of susceptible varieties resulted in epidemics of leaf rust on average in 1 year out of 4, affecting up to 5 million ha with yield losses of up to 25–30%. The leaf rust population showed absence of virulence for genes Lr9 and Lr24 and low frequency of isolates with virulence to Lr11, Lr16, Lr18, and Lr28. The field observations indicated that genes Lr28 and Lr36 provide resistance. All the wheat cultivars are susceptible to leaf rust and only recently have several resistant lines and new varieties have been tested in trials. The current resistance breeding efforts are based on incorporation of the resistance from local and foreign sources. The breeding strategy is not based on detailed knowledge of the leaf rust population and its interaction with the host because of limited pathology and genetics research capacity. However, practical breeding efforts in combining proven resistance with adaptation traits resulted in the development of new competitive resistant germplasm. Shuttle breeding between the region and CIMMYT-Mexico to enhance resistance contributes to regional efforts.
Androgenic ability was studied in anther cultures of euplasmic lines of common wheat and allo plasmic recombinant lines (H. vulgare)-T. aestivum with 1RS.1BL and 7DL 7Ai translocations. The ability to produce androgenic structures and plantlet regeneration are suppressed in lines carrying both transloca tions. Alloplasmic recombinant lines (H. vulgare)-T. aestivum with the 1RS.1BL and 7DL 7Ai transloca tions, as well as alloplasmic lines with the 1RS.1BL translocation, are characterized by their increased ability to form androgenic structures, including polyembryos, and plantlet regeneration compared to euplasmic lines. The inducing reciprocal influence of barley cytoplasm and rye chromosome 1RS on the androgenesis abil ity of lines (H. vulgare)-T. aestivum with 1RS.1BL and 7DL 7Ai translocations is discussed. Double haploid lines were developed from androgenic plants with spontaneously doubled chromosome numbers and restored fertility. Of the lines carrying the translocations, the most promising with regard to the exhibition of agronomic valuable traits and resistance to diseases were selected in order to utilize them in breeding programs.