Quantitative disease resistance assessment by real-time PCR using the Stagonospora nodorum wheat pathosystem as a model

Measuring disease resistance accurately and reproducibly is a key requirement for the introgression of partial resistance genes into breeding lines. Here, a qPCR protocol is used to measure fungal biomass, using the wheat-Stagonospora nodorum pathosystem as a model. Seven cultivars of differing repo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Oliver, Richard, Rybak, K., Shankar, M., Loughman, R., Harry, N., Solomon, P.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2008
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36436
Description
Summary:Measuring disease resistance accurately and reproducibly is a key requirement for the introgression of partial resistance genes into breeding lines. Here, a qPCR protocol is used to measure fungal biomass, using the wheat-Stagonospora nodorum pathosystem as a model. Seven cultivars of differing reported resistance levels were used. Fungal biomass taken at 220°C thermal days after inoculation accurately predicts the final grain weight loss. It is concluded that a test based on qPCR methods is specific, quantitative, rapid and objective. Such tests could provide useful and economic tools in the development of robustly resistant crop cultivars.