Triticum tauschii: reaction to the take-all fungus (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici)

Abstract

Reactions of 398 accessions of Triticum tawchii to the take-all fungus [Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt] were assessed. Nineteen accessions were selected for more detailed studies. T. tauschii accessions were identified that had less tissue blackening and more remaining green tissue when challenged by the fungus than the susceptible T. aestivum cv. Condor. However, tissue blackening in the T. tauschii accessions was much greater than that in Avena sativa cv. New Zealand Cape. Synthetic allohexaploid wheats produced from different Triticum turgidum var. durum (genome AABB) accessions and accessions of T. tauschii (genome DD) which had low tissue blackening or high remaining green tissue had more tissue blackening and less remaining green tissue than the T. tauschii parents. The potential of this material for breeding take-all resistant wheats together with experimental methods to minimize the possible confounding effects of seed weight, seed source and genetic effects are discussed.