Linking India and Australia to a global strategy for the Ug99 stem rust pathotype

Project ID:

CIM/2007/064

Collaborating Countries:

India

Commissioned Organisation:

CSIRO Plant Industry, Australia

Project Leader

Dr Evans Lagudah
Phone: 02 6246 5392
Fax: 02 6246 5000
Email: evans.lagudah@csiro.au

Collaborating Institutions:

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, India
University of Sydney, Australia
University of Agricultural Sciences, India
Directorate of Wheat Research, India

Project Budget:

$150,000

Project Duration:

01/04/2008 - 31/03/2009

ACIAR Research Program Manager

Dr Paul Fox

Project Overview

Stem rust is a fungus disease of wheat, and in 1999 a new stem rust pathotype, Ug99 or TTKS, was identified in Uganda. It is virulent on many commercial cultivars of wheat and is capable of overcoming a number of important stem rust resistance genes. This pathotype has spread to other East African nations and to Yemen, and there is a high likelihood that it will reach and threaten the wheat growing regions of Asia. This small research activity augments the global program to combat Ug99. Specific aims are to:
develop genetic stocks for future marker development for new sources of adult plant stem rust resistance;
develop DNA markers for pyramiding seedling resistance genes effective against Ug99;
facilitate the deployment of the newly developed markers in breeding programs;
develop a large ACIAR project (CIM/2007/084) that will extend and intensify these activities for a further four years.