REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIALS OF RACES 15B AND 56 OF WHEAT STEM RUST

Variations in the prevalence of races 56 and 15B-1 (Can.) of wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis Pers. f. sp. tritici Erikss. and Henn.) have occurred that cannot be explained by changes in the wheat varieties grown in Western Canada. The reasons for the changes in prevalence were investigated by comparing in growth cabinets the reproductive potentials or aggressiveness of the two races and the factors that might influence them. When a mixture of urediospores of the two races was used to inoculate three susceptible varieties for successive uredial generations, race 56 predominated at 25 and 20 °C, and race 15B-1 (Can.) predominated at 15 °C. Experimentation showed that the urediospores of race 56 were more infective than those of 15B-1 (Can.) and that the incubation period of race 56 was shorter than that of race 15B-1 (Can.). Pustules of race 56 grew faster than those of race 15B-1 (Can.) during early stages of development but those of 15B-1 (Can.) ultimately became larger than those of race 56. Race 56 produced more urediospores per pustule than race 15B-1 (Can.) on the susceptible varieties Little Club, Red Bobs, and Marquis at 15 and 20 °C. Infection density markedly affected competitive abilities. Race 56 tended to predominate in light infections but race 15B-1 (Can.) tended to predominate in heavy infections. Pustule size decreased as infection density increased. The possible significance of these findings under field conditions is discussed. It seems likely that the rise of race 15B-1 (Can.) to predominance in 1950 resulted not only from the selection pressure of the widely grown varieties that were resistant to race 56 and susceptible to 15B-1 (Can.) but from the lower temperatures that prevailed and favored 15B-1 (Can.) over 56. The rise to predominance of race 56 from 1956 to 1961 may have resulted from the greater aggressiveness of that race under the moderate or warm conditions that prevailed.