The Use of Detached Seedling Leaves of Triticum aestivum to Study Pathogenicity in Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici

A method is described for establishing isolates of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici (causal agent of brown rust of wheat) on detached seedling leaf segments. The method was used to compare the responses of leaf segments and intact seedling leaves for 28 differential genotypes inoculated with eight rust isolates. Leaf segments were incubated at two post-inoculation temperatures (17 and 23C) and intact seedlings at 20–25 C. Reliable determinations of isolate pathogenicity was obtained using detached leaf segments of wheats with genes Lr l. Lr2a, Lr3a, Lr3bg., Lr3ka, Lr9, Lr15, Lrl9. Lr20, Lr24, Lr25. Lr26, Lr28, and Lr30 at both post-inoculation temperatures, and for wheats with genes Lr2b. Lr2c, Lrl7, Lr23, Lr27 + Lr31 and LrH, at 23°C. Differences between leaf segments and intact leaves for the remaining eight differentials were attributed to inconsistent or poor expression of genes in detached leaf segments. By repeating tests with detached leaf segments, it was possible to establish the pathogenicities of the isolates on all of these differentials except those carrying Lr13, Lr14a, Lr16 and Lr18. Potential uses and limitations of the technique in studies of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici are discussed.