The aim of this thesis is to present molecular markers and different modern plant
breeding techniques using them. The focus is on the application of these methods to the
breeding of wheat (Triticum aestivum) for resistance to yellow rust (Puccinia
striiformis). Plant breeding is advancing rapidly with advances in genomic technology
and new knowledge and is a very important method in agronomy that has been practiced
since humans began to cultivate plants. Breeding can positively influence many
agronomic traits of cultivated species and can also increase the resistance of plants to
pathogens. Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world and, because
of its nutritional composition, is of great importance. Yellow rust is a disease of wheat
caused by the obligate fungal parasite Puccinia striiformis. It can be controlled with use
of fungicides, but these pollute the environment. In wheat, a group of Yr genes has been
identified that encode proteins for resistance to yellow rust. Studying these genes, as
well as breeding for resistance is much easier with the help of molecular markers, which
allows faster development of resistant wheat varieties. The Yr15 gene originates from a
wild relative of wheat, Triticum turgidum ssp. diccocoides, and nowadays, it is an
important source of resistance in a large number of wheat cultivars.
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