Resistance of wheat genotypes to Mycosphaerella graminicola isolates at seedling stage under greenhouse conditions

One of the most devastating foliar diseases of wheat worldwide is Septoria leaf blotch (STB), caused by Mycosphaerella graminicola (asexual stage/Anamorph: Septoria tritici) which has been recently intensified in some regions in Iran. In this study, 49 wheat genotypes and 20 wheat differential genotypes were evaluated for their reaction to infection by six isolates of M. graminicola collected from infected fields during 2016–2017 at seedling stage under greenhouse conditions. According to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of leaf pycnidia coverage percentage, a significant difference (p < .01) was observed between M. graminicola isolates and wheat cultivars. The interaction between genotypes and isolates was also significant (p < .01) and the results indicated a specific interaction between genotypes and isolates. The results presented Dezful and West Azerbaijan isolates that were the most virulent with more pathogenesis on differential genotypes. Although 47 of the wheat genotypes were susceptible to all isolates, some genotypes, including Wc‐46,224 (Austria), Wc‐45,425 (Portugal), Wc‐45,565 (Turkey), P.S.No4 (Italy), Dehdasht, M3 Synthetic, KavKaz‐k4500, Arina, Flame, and Riband were resistant to all isolates. In addition, the isolates exhibited different virulence patterns on wheat genotypes. The results of this study revealed high virulence of M. graminicola isolates, and Iranian and foreign wheat genotypes, commonly used in the region, presented high susceptibility, and the resistance sources had been identified among genotypes that can be applied in the wheat breeding programs.