Response of Australian barley cultivars to leaf rust (Puccinia hordei)

Abstract

Thirty-eight Australian commercial cultivars of barley were screened as seedlings against 11 pathotypes of the leaf rust pathogen (Puccinia hordei Otth.) detected in Australia, and as adult plants in the field against the 2 predominant pathotypes (210 P+ and 200 P+) present in the eastern mainland states. Most cultivars were susceptible as seedlings to 10 of the pathotypes of P hordei (with infection types of 3 or 4 on a 0-4 scale) but only 17 were susceptible to pathotype 253 P-. Abyssinian, Franklin, Tallon and Triumph were susceptible to none, Skiff only to 210 P+, Grimmett and Shannon only to 210 P+ and 253 P- and Ulandra to pathotypes 202 P+, 243 P-, 243 P+, 253 and 262 P+. Cutter, Ketch, Prior, Schooner and Weeah were susceptible to all except 200 P-, 201 P-, 243 P-, and 253 P-, and Yerong to all except 200 P-, 201 P-, 202 Pt, 220 P+ and 262 P+. Some cultivars, notably Malebo, but also Corvette, Galleon, Schooner and, to a lesser extent, Yerong were not as susceptible (infection types of 3 to 3+/4-) to most pathotypes of P. hordei. As adult plants in the field, Abyssinian, Franklin, Tallon and Triumph were resistant, and Malebo and Ulandra moderately resistant/moderately susceptible to both pathotypes tested.