Summary
This global survey of 887 wheat yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis) isolates sampled across 35 countries between 2009–2015 characterised the genetic lineages and virulence profiles driving recent epidemics. Rather than being caused by a single dominant clone, epidemics were driven by races from few but highly divergent genetic lineages, with distinct geographic patterns: PstS1 in North America, PstS2 in West Asia and North Africa, multiple lineages in Europe, and the highest diversity in South Asia. The study highlights the unpredictability of new race emergence and calls for enhanced pathogen surveillance and assessments of host variety vulnerability.
Regional applicability
The study identifies PstS7, PstS8 and PstS10 as the predominant lineages in Europe, which is directly applicable to United Kingdom wheat production and breeding. The virulence profiles to Yr17 and Yr32 reported as prevalent in European epidemics inform resistance deployment strategies in UK cereal breeding programmes and farm management.
Key measures
Pathogen race phenotypes, virulence to specific resistance genes (Yr9, Yr27, Yr17, Yr32), genetic lineage classification, geographic distribution of isolates, frequency of races by region
Outcomes reported
Race phenotyping of 887 Puccinia striiformis isolates from 35 countries revealed that recent worldwide wheat yellow rust epidemics were driven by races from few but highly divergent genetic lineages, with geographic variation in predominant races and virulence profiles.
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