Determination of the incidence of fungal spores for important wheat pathogens in Western Canada

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is affected by widespread fungal diseases that can severely decrease yield and grain quality. Threshold concentrations of stripe rust and powdery mildew spores required for disease development in both controlled growth chamber and field conditions were established. Air samples were collected in eight areas of Southern Alberta to investigate the presence of airborne spores of six important fungal wheat pathogens. Identification and quantification of the collected spores were conducted using qPCR assays and light microscopy. Results showed that the threshold concentrations of spores necessary to cause significant disease development under controlled conditions for Pst and Bgt were 106 spores/ml. Threshold values for Pst under field conditions were different in 2016 and 2017. Analyses of air samples showed that all six wheat pathogens are present in Southern Alberta, Fg being the most predominant among them while Pst was the most predominant species among the three rusts.

Authors

• Toscano de Araujo, Gabriela
• University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science

• wheat diseases
• stripe rust
• fungal spores
• Fusarium
• environmental influences
• host-pathogen interactions
• Fungi -- Spores -- Research
• Fusarium -- Research
• Stripe rust -- Research
• Wheat -- Diseases and pests -- Research -- Alberta, Southern
• Plant-pathogen relationships -- Research
• Wheat rusts -- Research
• Wheat -- Disease and pest resistance -- Research -- Alberta, Southern
• Dissertations, Academic

Identifier

hdl:10133/5285

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/5285