Molecular mapping of leaf rust resistance gene RphS in barley

Leaf rust caused by l'uccinia hordei G. Otth is an important disease of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in many regions of the world. Yield losses up to 32% have been reported in susceptible cultivars. The Rph5 gene confers resistance to the most prevalent races (8 and 30) of barley leaf rust in the USA. Therefore, the molecular mapping of Rph5 is of great interest. The objectives of this study were to map RphS and identify closely linked molecular markers. Genetic studies were performed by analysis of 93 and 91 F 2 plants derived from the crosses 'Bowman' (rph5) × 'Magnif 102' (RphS) and 'Moore' (rph5) X Virginia 92-42-46 (RphS), respectively. Bulk segregant analysis (BSA) using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers was conducted. Linkage analysis positioned the Rph5 locus to the extreme telomeric region of the short arm of barley chromosome 3H at 0.2 centimorgans (cM) proximal to RFLP marker VT1 and 0.5 cM distal from RFLP marker C970 in the Bowman × Magnif 102 population. Map positions and the relative order of the markers were confirmed in the Moore × Virginia 92-42-46 population. RFLP analysis of the near isogenic line (NIL) Magnif 102/*8Bowman, the susceptible recurrent parent Bowman, and RphS donor Magnif 102, confirmed the dose linkage of the markers VT1, BCD907, and CDO549 to RphS. Results from this study will be useful for marker-assisted selection and gene pyramiding in programs breeding for leaf rust resistance and provide the basis for physical mapping and further cloning activities.