Latest Survey Data
- Rust Issues: Yellow rust is the most serious constraint to wheat production. Leaf rust can also be problematic. Stem rust occurs in the southern hills and the central peninsular zone, but is considered to be under control.
- Ug99 Status: No Ug99 lineage races have been detected in India.
All wheat rust surveillance and monitoring activities in India are coordinated by the Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR). A comprehensive set of information on wheat rusts are distributed by DWR via special Disease Advisories and a regular Wheat Crop Health Newsletter. In addition, extensive rust pathotyping is undertaken by the Flowerdale Research Station, Shimla and also the Wellington Research Station, Coimbatore. The MEHTAENSIS newsletter is issued every 6 months, giving details of all rust race analysis activities in India.
For rust resistance gene information in Indian wheat varieties see: India Wheat Database
All information is available on the DWR website, but a copy of the latest rust information products is given below:
DWR Rust Advisory’s:
2015
2013
DWR Wheat Crop Health Newsletter:
2013
2012
DWR MEHTAENSIS Newsletter:
2015
2014
2013
2012
Situation Updates:
The latest version of the Mehtaensis newsletter (a 6 monthly newsletter named after Prof. K.C. Mehta) has just been published by ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Flowerdale, Shimla. Compiled and edited by Pramod Prasad, Hanif Khan, O.P. Gangwar, and S.C. Bhardwaj with technical assistance from S.B. Singh and Subodh Kumar. Mehtaensis contains a detailed summary of all the rust activities and race analysis results from India and neighbouring South Asian countries during the period Jan – July 2016. The executive summary is reproduced here:
“A new Lr gene was identified in local wheat LWH2. This gene confers resistance to all the pathotypes of Puccinia triticina (except pathotype 5R9-7) in India. Wheat rusts did not appear in epidemic form during 2015-16 in India. The sporadic occurrence of yellow rust was reported from few areas of North western plains and northern hills zones, but its further spread was halted through joint efforts of ICAR-IIWBR, SAUs, State Department of Agriculture and farmers. Black rust was restricted to Central and Peninsular India whereas brown rust was observed across all the zones but their severity and incidence was quite low. During 2015-16, 1028 samples of different rusts of wheat and barley were received/collected for pathotype analyses from Ravi and off season crops. About 580 samples of three rusts of wheat and yellow rust of barley were analyzed. Many of the yellow rust samples could not be revived. Yellow rust population was avirulent to resistance genes Yr5, Yr10, Yr11, Yr12, Yr13, Yr14, Yr15 & YrSp and black rust to Sr 26, Sr 27, Sr31, Sr32, Sr 35, Sr39, Sr 40, Sr 43, SrTt3 & SrTmp; and brown rust to Lr24, Lr25, Lr29, Lr32, Lr39, Lr42 and Lr45. The frequency of pathotype 46S119 (virulent on Yr2, Yr3, Yr4, Yr6, Yr7, Yr8, Yr9, Yr17, Yr18, Yr19, Yr21, Yr22, Yr23, Yr25, YrA) of yellow rust, 79G31 (virulent on Sr2, Sr5, Sr6, Sr7b Sr9a, Sr9b,Sr9c, Sr9d, Sr9f, Sr9g, Sr10, Sr13, Sr14, Sr15, Sr16, Sr17, Sr18, Sr19, Sr20, Sr21, Sr28, Sr29, Sr30, Sr34, Sr36, Sr38, SrMcN) of black rust and 121R60-1 (virulent on Lr1, Lr3, Lr10, Lr11, Lr12, Lr13, Lr14a, Lr14b,Lr14ab, Lr15, Lr16, Lr17a, Lr17b, Lr18, Lr20, Lr21, Lr22a, Lr22b, Lr23, Lr26,Lr27+31, Lr30, Lr33, Lr34, Lr35, Lr36, Lr37, Lr38, Lr44, Lr46, Lr48, Lr49) of brown rust was the maximum in their respective categories. Continue reading
The latest version of the Mehtaensis newsletter (a 6 monthly newsletter named after Prof. K.C. Mehta) has just been published by the IIWBR, Regional Station, Flowerdale, Shimla. Compiled and edited by Dr. S.C. Bhardwaj, O.P. Gangwar, Pramod Prasad and Hanif Khan with technical assistance from S.B. Singh and Subodh Kumar. Mehtaensis contains a detailed summary of all the rust activities and race analysis results from India and neighbouring South Asian countries during the period July – Dec 2015. The executive summary is reproduced here:
“During offseason 135 samples of three rusts of wheat were received from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand. 49 samples of all three rusts of wheat were analyzed, some of which were spill over of main season. Ug99 type of virulence was not identified anywhere in India. In brown rust pathotype77-5 (121R63-1) of brown rust, 46S119 and 110S119 of yellow rust and 40A (62G29) of black rust were found most frequently among the analyzed samples. Nucleus inocula of three rusts were also supplied to 38 Scientists/Research centres to facilitate research work elsewhere in India. More than 2850 lines of wheat and barley were evaluated against the pathotypes of different rusts. The tested material included the breeding lines provided by breeders from various parts of India, exotic wheat lines from CIMMYT and ICARDA. In addition 150 lines of AVT I and II are being evaluated against different pathotypes to identify rust resistant wheat lines. For monitoring the occurrence/spread of different diseases of wheat, Wheat Disease Monitoring Nursery (WDMN) and SAARC-WDMN were planted at 50 and 28 locations, respectively. Early occurrence of yellow rust was reported from Ropar, Anandpur Sahib and Hoshiarpur district of Punjab. Three Ug99 resistant genetic stocks namely FLW31, FLW32 and FLW33 have been developed. FLW31 and FLW33 are completely resistant against black and brown rusts while FLW32 has resistance to black rust and adult plant resistance against yellow and brown rusts. Work on standardization of doubled haploid production in wheat using maize pollination induced chromosome elimination was initiated. Offseason nursery was used for selection and generation advancement of 325 wheat lines. Under frontline demonstration of wheat variety, HS542 was planted in five adopted villages (12 farmers) of Tehsil Arki (Solan district of Himachal Pradesh).”
Stripe rust was detected on 18th Dec 2015 in Anandpur Sahib and Ropar districts, Punjab and subsequently in Hoshiarpur district. The variety affected was HD-2967. Following the first detection, the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) and other authorities are stepping up their efforts to curb the spread of the disease and urging farmers to be vigilant and take appropriate control measures. These first reports are slightly earlier than in previous years, but the locations are consistently the first places in India where stripe rust is detected. Several Indian media sources are reporting the first appearance of stripe rust in Punjab (see The Tribune, Business Standard, The Hindu, Times of India, The Tribune). As in previous years, Indian authorities are responding to these initial outbreaks in a rapid, effective and well organized way.
Photo: Dave Hodson, CIMMYT
Indian media sources are reporting the first appearance of stripe rust in Punjab. According to a report in the Hindustan Times (read report here), stripe rust was detected on Jan 9th in Kharod village, Nawanshahr district. Stripe rust is also reported to be present in Ropar district. These reports are in-line with reports from previous years, both in terms of location and timing of the first reports of stripe rust in India. As in previous years, Indian authorities are responding to these initial outbreaks in a rapid, effective and well organized way.
The latest version of the Mehtaensis newsletter (a 6 monthly newsletter named after Prof. K.C. Mehta) has just been published by the DWR, Regional Station, Flowerdale, Shimla. Compiled and edited by Dr. S.C. Bhardwaj, O.P. Gangwar, Pramod Prasad and Hanif Khan with technical assistance from S.B. Singh and Subodh Kumar. Mehtaensis contains a detailed summary of all the rust activities and race analysis results from India and neighbouring South Asian countries during the period July – Dec 2014. The executive summary is reproduced here:
“During the off season/summer crop (2013-14) all the rusts of wheat were observed at Wellington (Tamil Nadu), Dalang (Himachal Pradesh) and Ladakh (Jammu & Kashmir). Yellow and brown rusts were first observed on 12th of September and 6th of October, respectively on wheat disease monitoring nursery (WDMN) at Shimla. Scientists from PAU, Ludhiana have observed (19.12.2014) the occurrence of yellow rust of wheat in a farmer’s field in village Daroli Upper near Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. The spot has been chemically treated to eradicate the focus of infection. During the period about 135 samples of wheat rusts were collected/received. So far 38 samples of all three rusts of wheat have been analysed.
Only two pathotypes each of black {34-1 (10G13) and 40A (62G29)} as well as yellow rust {46S119 and 46S117 (new pathotype)} of wheat were observed till date. Brown rust, pathotypes 77-5 (121R63-1), 77-11 (125R28), 104-4 (93R57) and 162-1 (93R47) were identified in Himachal Pradesh samples. In samples from Tamil Nadu only 77-9 (121R60-1) and 77-10 (377R60-1) were observed.
Seedling resistance test (SRT) of more than 1070 lines of wheat and barley, including AVT, NBDSN and EBDSN entries have been done against different pathotypes of three rusts of wheat and barley. Analysis of polymorphism among brown rust pathotypes based on SSR marker analysis and their infection types on brown rust differential sets and the clustering in the same was done in the form of dendrogram.
Forty five different crosses were attempted for inheritance studies and gene transfer for rust resistance. More than fifty populations/selections were analyzed for seedling resistance against suitable rust pathotypes and were transplanted in the field for advancement of generations for genetic analysis and gene pyramiding studies.
Repository of pathotypes of different rust pathogens of wheat, barley, oat and linseed was maintained and inoculum of wheat and barley rusts was supplied to 39 centers/Scientists.
For monitoring the occurrence/spread of different diseases of wheat, WDMN and SAARC-WDMN were planted at different locations”. Mehtaensis Vol. 35 (1). ICAR. Indian Inst of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Flowerdale, Shimla 171 002 H.P. India