Screening of the Bread Wheat Varieties for the Leaf Rust Resistance Gene Lr34/Yr18/Sr57/Pm38/Bdv1

Abstract

Background: The allelic composition of the gene Lr34/Yr18/Sr57/Pm38/Bdv1, which is associated with resistance to leaf rust in varieties of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), has been investigated. Methods: Three DNA markers were used to determine the allelic state of the gene Lr34/Yr18/Sr57/Pm38/Bdv1: the co-dominant molecular genetic markers cssfr5 and csLV34 and the microsatellite marker Xgwm295. Results: Among 32 cultivars evaluated for resistance to leaf rust, 4 were highly resistant, 26 were resistant and 2 were moderately susceptible. Using the co-dominant marker cssfr5 based on the detection of the polymorphic state of one of the exons of the gene Lr34/Yr18/Sr57/Pm38/Bdv1, the Lr34(+) allele, which confers resistance to leaf rust, was found in 25% of the studied varieties. The coincidence between the results obtained with the markers cssfr5 and csLV34 was 84.5%. Conclusion: The data of the conducted molecular genetic analysis were supplemented by observations of the resistance of the studied varieties to leaf rust in the field. The obtained data can be used in breeding programs to develop new varieties and breeding lines with leaf rust resistance.