Comprehensive evaluation of brown rust resistance in Tatarstan spring bread wheat cultivars using molecular genetics and field methods

Background. Brown rust of bread wheat caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks. is one of the most harmful diseases in the temperate climate of the Russian Federation, causing significant crop losses and reducing grain quality. In this regard, an urgent task is to assess the resistance of wheat cultivars and the diversity of Lr genes in Tatarstan. Of greatest interest are the genes Lr9, Lr19, Lr24, Lr26, Lr34, Lr37/Yr17/Sr38 and Lr46, which provide resistance at various stages of plant development. The aim of the study was to comprehensively assess the brown rust resistance in spring bread wheat cultivars bred in Tatarstan using field and molecular genetic methods. Materials and methods. The resistance of 15 cultivars of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was assessed in 2023-2025 by the degree of damage to the flag and pre-flag leaves in field conditions at the experiment base of the Tatar Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture of the Kazan Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Resistance genes were identified using diagnostic DNA markers associated with six Lr genes. Results and discussion. The most resistant cultivars in field conditions were ‘Nastavnik’, ‘Khazine’ and ‘Chistopol’skaya’ characterized by the presence of combinations Lr9+Lr24+Lr46, Lr19+Lr24 and Lr9+Lr24+Lr34, respectively. The cultivars ‘Al’ Varis’, ‘Balkysh’, ‘Bulyak’ and ‘Sakara’ had an average level of resistance (resistance index 0.4-0.6) in the epiphytotic year. It has been shown that high and long-term resistance is formed due to a combination of race-specific and age-related genes. The data obtained indicate differences in the informativeness and specificity of molecular markers used to assess the resistance of cultivars. Conclusions. The manifestation of resistance in field conditions is determined by the genetic background of the cultivars, agroclimatic conditions and the race composition of the pathogen. The results of the study can be used for the targeted selection of source material and the implementation of a strategy for pyramiding resistance genes in spring wheat breeding programs.

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