Linkage relations among eyespot resistance gene Pch2, endopeptidase Ep‐A1b, and RFLP marker Xpsr121 on chromosome 7A of wheat

Marker‐based selection of Ep‐D1b has been used successfully to incorporate Pch1, the gene for eyespot resistance on chromosome 7D, into commercial wheat. However, attempts to transfer resistance conferred by Pch1 (on chromosome 7A) through selection for Ep‐A1b have not always been successful. Linkage relations among eyespot resistance gene Pch2, a gene encoding for an isozyme of endopeptidase, Ep‐A1b, and RFLP marker Xpsr121 on chromosome 7A were determined using 80 homozygous recombinant substitution lines. The recombinant lines were derived from eyespot susceptible ‘Chinese Spring’ hybridized with a resistant disomic substitution line of ‘Cappelle Desprez’ that has chromosome 7A substituted into ‘Chinese Spring’. Segregations of Pch2, Ep‐A1b and Xpsr121 fit an expected 1:1 single‐locus ratios based on χ2 tests. Linkage analysis revealed that Pch2 was not tightly linked to Ep‐Alb (15% recombination). However, close linkage (3.8% recombination) existed between Ep‐A1b and Xpsr121. The order of these loci is Pch2‐Xpsr121‐Ep‐A1b. Unlike Pch1 and Ep‐D1b, where little or no recombination is found, Pch1 and Ep‐A1b showed considerable recombination and therefore linkage cannot be utilized efficiently in marker‐based selection.