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Selection of Populations of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici for Shortened Latent Period on a Partially Resistant Wheat Cultivar

Wild-type fungal population 851-WT was selected for shortened latent period on cv. CI 13227 for five uredinial generations to study the adaptation of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici to partially resistant wheat cultivars. Differences among wild-type and selected populations for traits contributing to parasitic fitness (i.e., latent period, infection frequency, and uredinium area and growth rate) were assessed in monocyclic infection experiments on susceptible cv. Monon and partially resistant cvs. Suwon 85, Sw 72469-6, L-574-1, and CI 13227. Differences were greatest among fungal populations on cv. CI 13227. The mean latent period of selected population 851-C5 was 2 days shorter (~20%) than that of wild-type population 851-WT. In addition, uredinia of population 851-C5 expanded 40% faster and produced ~75% more urediniospores. On cv. L-574-1, the selected population was also more fit than the wild-type progenitor for initial uredinium area and growth rate and cumulative urediniospore production. In contrast to wild-type and selected populations on cvs. CI 13227 and L-574-1, selected population 851-C5 on cv. Monon produced slower expanding uredinia with fewer urediniospores than did population 851-WT on Monon. These results show that variation in the latent period of P. recondita f. sp. tritici populations is partially under genetic control and wild-type P. recondita f. sp. tritici populations contain members reproductively more fit on partially resistant wheat cultivars but not necessarily on susceptible cultivars. Such members are capable of partially overcoming quantitative host resistance.