Identification of Genetic Resistance to the Crown and Root Rot Caused by Fusarium culmorum and Cereal Cyst Nematode (Heterodera filipjevi) in the Turkish Cereal Varieties

Soilborne pathogens associated with cereals cause significant yield losses throughout the world. Among soilborne pathogens Heterodera filipjevi and Fusarium culmorum are two main destructive causal agents that attack the roots and crowns of cereals and have been reported as the most prevalent species in Türkiye. A total of 245 Turkish cereal varieties consisting of wheat, oat, triticale and rye which were registered between 1931 to 2013; were tested for their resistance to Fusarium culmorum and Heterodera filipjevi. The varieties were screened under controlled and/or field conditions for two successive growing seasons. The bread wheat ‘Murat-1’ was the most resistant variety for both pathogens. The durum wheats ‘Yelken 2000’ and ‘Yılmaz 98’ were found the most promising varieties for resistance to F. culmorum and H. filipjevi, respectively. The triticale ‘Umranhanim’ ranked moderately resistant at adult plant stage while ‘Presto’ and ‘Melez 2001’ were ranked moderately resistant at seedling stage for Fusarium culmorum. The findings of this study are important for the global wheat breeding programs as those genotypes are still being used in crosses for new genotype development.