Detection of quantitative trait loci associated with leaf rust resistance in bread wheat

Leaf rust, caused by Puccinia recondita Rob. ex Desm., is a common disease in wheat. The objective of this study was to develop molecular markers associated with the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) putatively conferring durable leaf rust resistance in Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell. A population of 77 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from 'Parula' (resistant) and 'Siete Cerros' (moderately susceptible) was used. Bulked segregant analysis was done using random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) with DNA enriched for low-copy sequences using hydroxyapatite chromatography. Out of 400 decamer primers screened, 3 RAPD markers were identified between the bulk of the most resistant and the bulk of the most susceptible lines. These were cloned and used as probes on the RILs in Southern hybridizations. Two probes revealed two tightly linked loci. One-way analysis of variance showed that these two loci, and another revealed by the third probe, were linked to QTLs controlling leaf rust resistance based on data taken from 2 years of replicated field trials. Cytogenetic analysis placed the two tightly linked loci on the long arm of chromosome 7B. The third probe detected loci located on the short arms of chromosomes 1B and 1D. It is suggested that the QTL detected on 7BL may well be homoeoallelic to Lr34.