Outbreak of yellow rust on triticale in Serbia

Abstract

Triticale (xTriticosecale Wittmack) is a hybrid obtained by crossing wheat (Triticum sp.) and rye (Secale sp.). Triticale possesses favorable agronomic characteristics compared to wheat and rye, including suitability for cultivation in poor and acidic soils or under cold conditions. The causal agent of yellow rust in triticale (P striformis f. sp. tritici, Pst) is one of the pathogens responsible for significant yield and quality losses. An aggressive race of P, first discovered in Europe in 2006 on the island of Bornholm on triticale, has become common in widely grown triticale varieties in Germany and Scandinavia. Although the race belongs to P striiformis sp. tritici, it has never been found on winter wheat varieties in Europe. The aggressive triticale race has led to yield losses of up to 100% in Scandinavia, where controlling triticale epidemics in organic production has proven challenging. It is worth noting that Pst races Warrior and Kranich, which caused significant wheat yield losses in Europe since 2011, were also detected on triticale. During the 2022/2023 growing season on locality Rimski Šančevi (Vojvodina, North Province of Serbia) yellow rust was recorded on triticale in Serbia for the the first time.