VIEW ARTICLE

Genetics

Latent Period and Infection Efficiency of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici Populations Isolated from Different Wheat Cultivars. E. A. Knott, University of Idaho, 29603 University of Idaho Lane, Parma 83660; C. C. Mundt, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-2902. Phytopathology 81:435-439. Accepted for publication 9 November 1990. Copyright 1991 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-81-435.

Five bulk populations of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici were isolated from five susceptible wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars showing different levels of disease in the field. Each population was inoculated onto wheat plants of the cultivar from which they were originally isolated (their “own” cultivar) and onto the other four cultivars. Latent period and infection efficiency were measured in growth chambers for each of the population × cultivar combinations. No evidence of increased aggressiveness on the “own” cultivars was found for either infection efficiency or latent period. No significant cultivar × spore population interactions were detected in the infection efficiency analysis. However, significant interactions were detected with latent period. Spore populations differed in aggressiveness as measured by both latent period and infection efficiency. Rankings of the spore populations were different for infection efficiency vs. latent period.