Wheat Leaf Rust in North Dakota During 1979–1981. G. D. Statler, Professor, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105. J. D. Miller, Research Plant Pathologist, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and S. Leben, Technician, Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105. Plant Dis. 66:1174-1176. Accepted for publication 25 April 1982. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1982. DOI: 10.1094/PD-66-1174.

Rust nurseries were established at five North Dakota locations to evaluate resistance of wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars to naturally occurring Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici populations. Reactions of commonly grown spring wheats to leaf rust range from resistant to susceptible, with the best protection against the present P. recondita f. sp. tritici population provided by Olaf, Butte, Coteau, Wared, Len, Era, Kitt, and Alex. Most spring wheat cultivars grown in North Dakota have susceptible reactions with low severities. Increased severities could result in yield losses. Most durum cultivars have low coefficient of infection values and are probably not damaged by leaf rust. Most winter wheat cultivars grown in North Dakota are susceptible to P. recondita f. sp. tritici. Virulence of the natural population was evaluated on near-isogenic lines and supplemental differentials. Annual changes in virulence were demonstrated. Lines with leaf rust resistant genes Lr9, Lr16, Lr19, Lr24, and Lr25 showed resistance as seedlings to the greatest percentage of field collections of P. recondita f. sp. tritici.

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