Wheat Fungal Diseases: A Review

Abstract

Wheat is a global dietary staple, supplying one of world’s grain production and serving as a primary source of carbohydrates, protein, as well as essential micronutrients. However, its productivity remains increasingly jeopardized via biotrophic fungal pathogens obligate parasites that severely compromise plant health and grain yield. This review critically examines four major diseases: (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) stem rust, (P. striiformis f. sp. tritici) stripe rust, (P. triticina) leaf rust, and (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) powdery mildew, which collectively threaten food security across diverse agroecosystems. Moreover, central to sustainable control is genetic resistance, which operates through two paradigms: race-specific (qualitative) as well as non-race-specific (quantitative or adult plant resistance). Furthermore, the novelty of this work lies in its integrative synthesis of global pathogen distribution, virulence evolution, for instance, Ug99 and TKTTF lineages), as well as the strategic deployment of resistance genes from landraces and wild relatives. In addition, this synthesis supports next-generation wheat improvement aimed at stabilizing yields under escalating disease pressure.