Oat stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. avenae, is one of the most devastating diseases of oat. The most cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy to control this disease is the use of resistant cultivars. However, P. graminis f. sp. avenae can overcome the resistance of cultivars by rapidly changing its virulence. Thus, information on the virulence of P. graminis f. sp. avenae populations and resistance of cultivars is critical to control the disease. The current study was conducted to monitor the virulence composition and dynamics of the P. graminis f. sp. avenae population in China and to evaluate resistance of oat cultivars. Oat leaves naturally infected by P. graminis f. sp. avenae were collected in 2018 and 2019, and 159 isolates were derived from single uredinia. The isolates were tested on 12 international differential lines, and eight races, TJJ, TBD, TJB, TJD, TJL, TJN, TGD, and TKN, were identified for the first time in China. The predominant race was TJD, virulent against Pg1, Pg2, Pg3, Pg4, Pg8, Pg9, and Pg15, accounting for 35.8 and 37.8% in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The sub-predominant races were TJN (30.2% in 2018, 28.3% in 2019) and TKN (20.8% in 2018, 12.3% in 2019). All isolates were virulent to Pg1, Pg2, Pg3, and Pg4, and avirulent to Pg6 and Pg16. The three predominant races (TJD, TJN, and TKN) were used to evaluate resistance in 30 Chinese oat cultivars at the seedling and adult plant stages. Five cultivars, Bayan 1, Baiyan 2, Baiyan 3, Baiyan 5, and Baiyan 9, were highly resistant to the three races at both seedling and adult plant stages. The results of the virulences and frequencies of P. graminis f. sp. avenae races and the resistant cultivars will be useful in elucidating the pathogen migration and evolution and for breeding oat cultivars with stem rust resistance.
Keywords: Puccinia graminis f. sp. avenae; oat; races; resistant cultivars; stem rust.