Evaluation of Phenotypic and Molecular Resistance to Stem Rust Disease in Wheat Commercial Cultivars and Elite Lines

Fungal diseases are considered as main causes of yield loss and increased costs in wheat production. Stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), is a devastating fungal disease of wheat, worldwide. Identification of new stem rust resistance sources, and the involved genes are required to achieve resistant cultivars and durable resistance as the most efficient control method of wheat stem rust. In order to identify new seedling resistance sources, virulence pattern of eight Pgt isolates was studied on 27 wheat commercial cultivars and elite lines of national breeding programs in a randomized block design with three replications.