Role of Genetics, Genomics, and Breeding Approaches to Combat Stripe Rust of Wheat

Puccinia striiformis(Pst) is a devastating biotrophic fungal pathogen that causes wheat stripe rust. It usually loves cool and moist places and can cause 100% crop yield losses in a single field when ideal conditions for disease incidence prevails. Billions of dollars are lost due to fungicide application to reduce stripe rust damage worldwide.Pstis a macrocyclic, heteroecious fungus that requires primary (wheat or grasses) as well as secondary host (BerberisorMahoniaspp.) for completion of life cycle. In this review, we have summarized the knowledge about pathogen life cycle, genes responsible for stripe rust resistance, and susceptibility in wheat. In the end, we discussed the importance of conventional and modern breeding tools for the development ofPst-resistant wheat varieties. According to our findings, genetic engineering and genome editing are less explored tools for the development ofPst-resistant wheat varieties; hence, we highlighted the putative use of advanced genome-modifying tools, i.e., base editing and prime editing, for the development ofPst-resistant wheat.