To gain more precise information about molecular genetic variation for wild populations of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici from Qinghai Province, China, 38 single-colony isolates were purified from samples collected from Haidong District, Xining City and Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in 2010. The virulence of 21 isolates among them was tested at seedling stage on 34 wheat cultivars (lines) carrying known powdery mildew (Pm) resistant genes. The results showed that V1a, V3a, V3c, V3e, V5a, V6, V7, V8 and V19 had high virulence frequencies (>75%), indicating a wide distribution; and V1c, V5b, V12, V13, V16, V21, VXBD, V2+6, V2+Mld and V4+8, with less distribution, appeared to be lower in frequencies (0-20%). The Nei’s gene diversity (H), Shannon’s information index (I) and the percentage of polymorphic loci (P) were 0.23, 0.35 and 67.65%, respectively, which revealed a virulent diversity. The results from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 38 isolates showed that three housekeeping genes were found to contain a total of 9 SNP sites. 10 haplotypes (H1-H10) were inferred from the concatenated sequences, with 1 haplotype (H1) comprising of over 55% of Qinghai population. Phylogenic analysis did not show obvious geographical subdivision between the isolates. A multilocus haplotype network presented a radial structure, with H1 in the central as an inferred ancestor. Using analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), we found 1.63% of the total variation was among populations and 98.37% within populations, with a low fixations index (FST=0.01634, P<0.05). This revealed a relatively high genetic diversity but a low genetic divergence in Qinghai population. Moreover, the molecular data on gene flow (Nm=6.32) confirmed the migration of pathogen populations among areas in Qinghai Province.

In order to clarify the impact posed by wheat powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) on the yield and yield components in different epidemic seasons, field trials were conducted in three growing seasons, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, in Langfang City, Hebei Province, China. The relationships between 1000-kernel weight, crude protein content of grain and yield and disease index (DI), as well as area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) were studied. The models of the percentage of loss of 1000-kernel weight, crude protein content and yield were constructed using DI at critical point (CP) of growth stages (GS) and AUDPC in the three growing seasons, respectively. The CPs for estimating 1 000-kernel weight, crude protein content of grain and yield of wheat caused by powdery mildew were GS 11.1, GS 10.5.3 and GS 10.5.3, respectively. Models based on DI at CP to estimate the percentage of loss of 1 000-kernel weight, crude protein content of grain and yield were better than models based on AUDPC. And models of the percentage of loss of 1 000-kernel weight, crude protein content and yield for 2011-2012 season were significant different from these for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. These results indicated that besides powdery mildew, weather conditions also had influence on 1 000-kernel weight, crude protein content of grain and yield loss of wheat when powdery mildew occurred.

Wheat dwarf bunt, caused by Tilletia controversa Kühn (TCK), is an important quarantine wheat disease throughout the world. Based on published research results of the biology and the epidemiology of the disease, the main factors including temperature, humidity, snow cover, and their parameters relating to teliospore germination, infection and epidemics of TCK were determined. The geophytopathological models for the risk analysis of wheat dwarf bunt establishment were modified. Fifty-year meteorologic data from about 500 weather stations in China were used to calculate the probabilities of TCK establishment in different geographic sites with the models. The map that displays the establishment risk of TCK in winter wheat growing regions in China was generated by using geographical information system (GIS). The zones showing high, moderate, low, and very low, including no risk, of TCK establishment accounted for 27.33, 27.69, 38.12, and 6.86% of total winter wheat growing areas in China, respectively. These results will provide useful information to formulate quarantine regulations and wheat importation policy in China.

Mixtures composed of five wheat cultivars, Jingshuang 16, Jing 411, Jingdong 8, Lunxuan 987, and Baofeng 104, with different levels of resistance against powdery mildew were tested for their potential containment of the disease development in the field and for the influence on grain yield and the content of crude protein in the years 2007 and 2010. The plots were inoculated artificially with mixed isolates collected in the fields and propagated in the greenhouse and the disease was scored in 7 d interval during the two growing seasons. It was indicated that certain combinations, e.g., Jingdong 8: Lunxuan 987, Jingdong 8:Baofeng 104, and Jing 411:Jingdong 8:Baofeng 104, showed positive efficacy on the mildew. The cultivar combinations tested in 2007 showed increase of grain yield, while most of the combinations tested in 2010 did not show the increase. The differences of the increases or decreases were not statistically significant except combinations Jing 411:Jingdong 8:Baofeng104, Jingshuang16:Jingdong8:Lunxuang 987 and Jingshuang 16:Jingdong 8:Lunxuan 987: Baofeng 104, which showed the decrease of the grain yield. The mixtures did not show influence on the content of crude protein in grain. More cultivar combinations need to be tested.