Gene Pool of Winter Wheat from the World Collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) for Biotic Stress Resistance

This paper presents the results of the 50 year-long research into the winter wheat gene pool from the VIR world collection in the Moscow region to assess biotic stress resistance following N.I. Vavilov’s concept of the ‘ideal variety’, proposed in 1935. The Federal Scientific Selection and Technology Center for Horticulture and Nursery was responsible for the field studies of winter wheat, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology and Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy—for phytopathological studies. The wheat collection was studied in compliance with the VIR Methodological Guidelines using the International COMECON list of descriptors for the genus Triticum L. Resistance against the enzyme–mycotic depletion of seeds (EMDS) was tested using original techniques. It was found that annual brown rust and powdery mildew attacks in the collection’s winter wheat samples caused no significant economic damage. One case of Septoria head and leaf blotch, two cases of Fusarium head blight, one case of root rot, one case of barley yellow dwarf virus, 20 cases of EMDS, and three cases of 3rd-degree EMDS, i.e., seed germination in an ear, were recorded. The parent material resistant to the biotic stresses of the region was selected for breeding. Domestic breeders have created outstanding wheat varieties close to the ‘ideal’ as noted by N.I. Vavilov.