WP2: Development and distribution wheat rust resistance monitoring nurseries to key hotspot sites to assess virulence diversity and shifts in new virulences

Changes in pathogen virulence have rendered some resistance genes ineffective and knowledge on virulence variation in the natural pathogen population helps breeders in proposing efficient resistance strategy to rusts. Monitoring nurseries are grown in hotspot areas where rusts is known to occur naturally each year. These nurseries consists of isolines with resistance genes, genetic stocks for additional Yr, Sr and Lr genes, selected differentials and wheat varieties carrying combinations of important resistance genes. The nurseries are designed to collect information on epidemiology and physiologic specialization of rusts, behavior of resistant and susceptible varieties, tested under different environmental conditions.