REACTION OF ALIEN CHROMOSOME SUBSTITUTION AND ADDITION LINES OF HARD RED SPRING WHEAT TO COMMON ROOT-ROT AND BLACK POINT

Resistance to common root rot and black point, caused by Cochliobolus sativus, was evaluated in alien chromosome substitution and addition lines of the cultivars 'Cadet' and 'Rescue'. Substitution of chromosome 5B in 'Rescue' with 5Ag from Agropyron elongatum decreased root rot susceptibility to a level intermediate between that in the susceptible 'Rescue' and the resistant 'Cadet'. The substitution of 'Rescue' chromosome 5A or 5D with 5Ag, or the addition of 5Ag to 'Rescue' complement had no consistent effect on root rot susceptibility. The root rot resistance of 'Cadet' was unaffected by substitution of chromosomes 5A, 5B, or 5D with 5Ag, or the addition of 5Ag. This indicates that the susceptible allele of the gene Crr is the primary determinant in the reaction of wheat to common root rot. Black point resistance in the susceptible cultivar 'Rescue' was significantly increased by substitution of chromosome 5B with 5Ag, or the addition of 5Ag. No corresponding effect was demonstrated for black point incidence in the moderately resistant cultivar 'Cadet' with substitution of chromosome 5Ag for 5B, or the addition of 5Ag. Chromosome 5Ag apparently carries one or more genes conferring resistance to black point. The identity of these lines was confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using group 5 chromosome arm specific probes. This extends the use of these molecular probes to the Agropyron genome.