Field performance of Rendezvous, a wheat cultivar with resistance to eyespot (Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides) derived from Aegilops ventricosa

Rendezvous is a new cultivar of winter wheat with potent eyespot resistance derived from Aegilops ventricosa. In 11 field experiments conducted over 6 years with both natural and artificial inoculum, Rendezvous was significantly more resistant than other commercial wheat cultivars, many of which have resistance derived from Cappelle‐Desprez. It was also more resistant than its parent VPM 1, the donor of the potent eyespot resistance, suggesting that it possesses resistance genes from both Ae. ventricosa and Cappelle‐Desprez. In severe eyespot epidemics, Rendezvous lodged less and had a greater mean yield than the moderately resistant cultivar Norman. Treatment with fungicide reduced disease and increased yield in both cultivars, so that they were equal in yield. Rendezvous should not need routine fungicidal treatment for eyespot control, but under exceptional disease pressure may benefit from treatment.