Wheat Breeding For Rust Resistance

Wheat rusts have played devastating role in human history by causing famines manytimes across the world. Chemical control remained unaffordable for the poor farmers hence the only effective strategy to avert losses is the development of rust resistant varieties. The varieties with race specific resistance and adult plant resistance have been developed in the past but the varieties with adult plant resistance retained resistance for longer time. The germplasm with adult plant resistance have also shown consistancy over space and time. Adult plant resistance can be attained by accumulating minor genes by crossing the parents in a schematic way follwed by the selection of desireable segregants from segregating populations. DNA markers are available for the minor genes contributing adult plant resistance which can be utilized as an aid in the selection of resistance genotypes. In Pakistan varieties like Shafaq-06 and Lasani-08 have been developed which have higher yield potential and adult plant type of rust resistance in addition to best quality parameters.