Meeting the Challenge of Yellow Rust in Cereal Crops - ICARDA

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Trap Nurseries in epidemiology and pathogen evolutionary studies, but it has
been of only very limited benefit to breeding programmes. In response to the
global threat of wheat rust diseases, a Wheat Rust Disease Global Programme
(WRDGP) has been established by FAO. Today, a GIS-based data analysis and
management system is available to regional and international rust networks
providing timely information relating to the current status of rust populations.
Field-based pathogenicity survey data, rust surveillance and disease
monitoring, in combination with use of geo-referenced positioning of trap
nurseries sites and inclusion of meteorological information, are used to discuss
possible movement and prediction of yellow rust in CWANA. Achievements
and challenges ahead are also discussed and the regional yellow rust platform
for CWANA will be presented to share with participants.
Epidemiological studies on Puccinia striiformis causing
stripe [yellow] rust of wheat in Faisalabad, Pakistan
S. Ahmad, 1 M.A. Khan, 2 M.M. Haider, 2 Z. Iqbal, 1 M. Kamran 1 and N. Akhtar 1
1. University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan;
2. Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Fifty varieties and lines of wheat were screened against yellow rust to
determine the ecology of the stripe rust. Among these, 36 genotypes showed
reaction symptoms to yellow rust, of which 18 were found susceptible, 6 were
moderately susceptible, 7 were moderately resistant and 5 remained resistant
against yellow rust. All the other genotypes showed no response or remained
asymptomatic against yellow rust. For the epidemiological study of the stripe
rust, data was collected on environmental factors, including maximum and
minimum temperatures, rainfall, relative humidity, sunshine radiation and
wind speed. The stripe rust severity and related environmental factors was
than determined through correlation analysis. Four environmental factors—
maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity and wind speed—
were found significant in causing stripe rust disease, while rainfall and
sunshine remained insignificant. It was found that three environmental
factors—maximum temperature, relative humidity and wind speed—were
positively correlated, while minimum temperature showed negative
correlation. It means increasing maximum temperature, rainfall and wind
speed increased disease incidence, while increasing minimum temperature
decreased the disease incidence on various genotypes. This study may be
helpful in the future to develop predictive models to forecast stripe [yellow]
rust disease occurrence, which will be an economical tool in the management
of this disease.