Molecular mapping of QTLs for Karnal bunt resistance in six near isogenic (NILs) populations of bread wheat

Karnal bunt (KB) of wheat, caused by the fungus Tilletia indica, is a challenge to the grain industry, owing not to direct yield loss but to quarantine regulations that may restrict international movement of affected grain. For mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for Karnal bunt in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) a susceptible cultivar WH542, was crossed with Karnal bunt resistant stocks to construct the NIL mapping populations. Six BC5F1 NIL populations were screened for Karnal bunt using 625 simple sequence repeat markers spanning the whole genomic region. Our total survey of markers showed the presence of the introgressed segment which could be associated with Karnal bunt resistance on chromosomes regions 1A, 1D, 2B, 2D, 3A, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5D, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B and 7D. The study postulated new regions associated with KB resistance.