Biotech Updates

Variants of Wheat Stem Rust Race Detected in Mozambique and Zimbabwe

August 26, 2011

Variants of the wheat stem rust race, Ug99 Group, have been found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. New geographical records exist for an Ug99-related race and signals risk for Southern African cultivars. This was forwarded in Detection of variants of wheat stem rust race Ug99 (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) in Zimbabwe and Mozambique published in the journal Plant Disease.

From trajectory models, F. Mugoyi and colleagues reported that winds where stem rust was observed passed directly over areas in South Africa within 48 to 72 hours. Wheat fields surveyed for Ug99 in Zimbabwe and Mozambique showed high stem rust severities. Stem rust was widespread in the lowlands of Zimbabwe and trace amounts were present in the mid-altitude areas.

See the media article at http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=2400:1001:1879251234921667::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,89937