Wheat Stem Rust Race Ug99: A Shifting Enemy

Abstract

Since, time immemorial wheat stem rust has been one of the major threats to wheat cultivation all around the world. Owing to the alarming rate at which Puccinia graminis tritici, evolves and mutates, the popularly grown wheat varieties remain at constant stake of losing their resistance to it. Since, wheat is the second most important crop in the world, a constant threat hovers over the global food security too. To make situation worse, a novel race of stem rust pathogen, Ug99 has evolved, popularly known as „shifting enemy of wheat‟ due to its rapid migration rate. Researchers have already anticipated Ug99 as the greatest of threats ever faced by wheat cultivation as it has the potential of breaking the strongest of resistant genes, like Sr31. Since, the race hasn‟t spread into many area, we still stand a chance of killing it in its crib. A plethora of initiatives and strategies have been taken globally, of which BGRI is the most prominent one. This horror has to be dealt with brotherhood among whole scientific fraternity and stringent regulatory measures from the governments together with immense trust of farmers on the system.