A monoclonal antibody chromosome marker analysis used to locate a loose smut resistance gene in wheat chromosome 6A.

Many genes have been located in wheat chromosomes, yet little is known about the location of genes for resistance to Ustilago tritici, which causes loose smut. Crosses were made between the loose smut susceptible alien substitution lines Cadet 6Ag(6A) and Rescue 6Ag(6A) (lines in which Agropyron chromosome 6 is substituted by wheat chromosome 6A) and four cultivars resistant to U. tritici race T19: 'Cadet', 'Kota', 'Thatcher' and 'TD18'. The segregating progeny were tested for reaction to race T19 and for the level of binding with a monoclonal antibody specific to a chromosome 6A-coded seed protein. The antibody, which does not bind to seed protein extracts in the absence of the 6A chromosome, was used as a chromosome marker. An association was established between resistance to race T19 and the presence of chromosome 6A for each of the cultivars tested, indicating that resistance to race T19 resides in chromosome 6A. Ustilago tritici race T19 resistance in 'Cadet' appears to be located in the short arm of chromosome 6A, based on the evaluation of the Cadet 6A long ditelosomic stock, which was susceptible, and the Cadet 6A-short: 6-Agropyron- short alien translocation stock, which was resistant.