Identification and characterisation of resistance to the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi in winter wheat

The aim of this study was to search for new sources of resistance against the cereal cyst nematode, Heterodera filipjevi, in a collection of 290 wheat accessions. The plants were inoculated with juveniles and assessed for the number of females and cysts. One percent of the wheat accessions were ranked as resistant, 16% as moderately resistant, 41% as moderately susceptible, 26% as susceptible and 15% as highly susceptible. The infection rate and the number of females and cysts per plant were significantly lower in the resistant accession Nudakota and three moderately resistant accessions Ekonomka, Katea and Lantian 12 compared with susceptible cv. Bezostaya 1. Nematode development was reduced in resistant and moderately resistant accessions. The size of females and the total number of eggs and second-stage juveniles were reduced only in Ekonomka. No significant difference in plant height, plant weight, root length, root weight and root volume were recorded for inoculated plants compared to non-inoculated plants. This study has identified four resistant wheat accessions offering new material for breeding the resistance to H. filipjevi.