Potential for re-emergence of wheat stem rust in the United Kingdom

• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0013-y
• Publication Date: 2018-02-01T13:54:59Z
• Authors: Clare M. Lewis; Antoine Persoons; Daniel P. Bebber; Rose N. Kigathi; Jens Maintz; Kim Findlay; Vanessa Bueno-Sancho; Pilar Corredor-Mo...; Sophie A. Harrington; Ngonidzashe Kangara; Anna Berlin; Richard García; Silvia E. Germán; Alena Hanzalová; David P. Hodson; Mogens S. Hovmøller; Julio Huerta-Espino; Muhammed Imtiaz; Javed Iqbal Mirza; Annemarie F. Just...; Rients E. Niks; Ali Omrani; Mehran Patpour; Zacharias A. Pret...; Ramin Roohparvar; Hanan Sela; Ravi P. Singh; Brian Steffenson; Botma Visser; Paul M. Fenwick; Jane Thomas; Brande B. H. Wulff; Diane G. O. Saunders
• Keywords: Stem rust; Puccinia; Rust (programming language); Winter wheat

Wheat stem rust, a devastating disease of wheat and barley caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, was largely eradicated in Western Europe during mid-to-late twentieth century. However, isolated outbreaks have occurred recent years. Here we investigate whether lack resistance modern European varieties, increased presence its alternate host barberry changes climatic conditions could be facilitating resurgence. We report first rust occurrence United Kingdom nearly 60 years, with only 20% UK varieties resistant to this strain. Climate over past 25 years also suggest increasingly conducive for infection. Furthermore, document decades P. on . Our data illustrate that does occur and, when are conducive, severely harm production.