09-08-2013, 03:19 PM
Multiple disease resistance in Bread wheat genotypes
ABSTRACT
Wheat is a cereal crop grown all over the world. In India, wheat accounts for 35 per cent of the total food grain production in the country. It occupies the second place being exceeded only by rice. Punjab, the “wheat bowl of India” produced 164.72 lakh tones of wheat from 35.10 lac ha. area with per ha yield of 46.93 quintals. This yield can further be enhanced by managing biotic stresses. Among the biotic stresses, diseases and plant parasitic nematodes also play limiting factor in wheat production. Since, identification and deployment of resistance to diseases may be the most economical, feasible and eco-friendly approach to manage the disease. Therefore, the present studies were conducted to identify sources of resistance in bread wheat to important diseases and nematodes. Thirty two loose smut resistant genotypes maintained at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana were evaluated for resistance to Karnal bunt (KB), Yellow rust, Brown rust and nematodes; Cereal Cyst Nematode (CCN), Root Knot Nematode (RKN) and Ear Cockle Nematode (ECN). Twenty six genotypes were resistance to both the rusts while seventeen were resistance to Karnal bunt. Seven were resistant to cereal cyst nematode. Six were moderately resistant to root knot nematode. Four genotypes were resistant to Ear Cockle Nematode. Three lines namely W 3339, W 9500 and BW 8627 were resistance to all the diseases and Cereal cyst nematode. These resistance genotypes can serve as donors of multiple disease resistance genes to the cultivated varieties to broaden the existing resistance gene pool. Availability of wheat varieties with multiple disease resistance will reduce the need of pesticide applications and facilitate the adoption of IPM practices, thus achieving the objectives of the sustainable agriculture.