Molecular basis of powdery mildew resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Powdery mildew is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of wheat worldwide. Improving wheat resistance to Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) via modern bio-techniques to understand the molecular basis of powdery mildew resistance is very important. Powdery mildew resistance gene Pm3b was has been isolated, and its alleles were have been studied. Some other genes associated with resistance against Bgt were also studied. Wheat TaMLO genes, similar to barley powdery mildew resistance regulating gene MLO, were cloned by the authors. TaEDR1, similar to the EDR1 gene associated with powdery mildew resistance inArabidopsis thaliana, was also cloned. It has been demonstrated that TaLRK, Ta-JA2, TaPR-1, TaPR-2 and TaPR-5 genes play positive roles in powdery mildew resistance. However, no systemic signal pathways of powdery mildew resistance have been reported as yet. Therefore, this review is aimed particularly at the molecular basis of powdery mildew resistance in wheat.   Key words: Wheat, powdery mildew, resistance, molecular biology, signal pathway.