Field response to Pratylenchus thornei of a wheat line with the CreAet gene for resistance to Heterodera avenae

The gene CreAet for resistance to Heterodera avenae, transferred from Aegil ops triuncialis to Triticum aestivum introgression line TR-353, was assesse d for responses to Pratylenchus thornei under field conditions. After 2.5 m onths, P. thornei infestation on TR-353 was similar to those on its progeni tors (T. aestivum H10-15, T. turgidum H1-1 and A. triuncialis A-1) and on t he cultivar Capa. After 5 months, TR-353 hosted significantly more P. thorn ei per plant than A. triuncialis, T. aestivum H10-15 or cultivar Rinconada, being very close to the maximum value obtained from T. turgidum. The final infestation of line TR-353 by H. avenae was significantly lower than on th e other plants, except for A. triuncialis. In addition, at 2.5 months, the abundance of P. thornei on TR-353 was intermediate between the introgressio n wheat line H93-8 (Cre2 gene) and the cultivar Loros (Cre1 gene), but the final number of P. thornei per plant on TR-353 was significantly greater th an on Loros. Line TR-353 was not able to control P. thornei in the field, b ut it confirmed its resistance to H. avenae, which was significantly lower than those due to Cre1 and Cre2 genes. No competition was observed between P. thornei and H. avenae populations on line TR-353 or A. triuncialis.