BRAINCAKETreatment and Control of Stem Rust
Stem rust cannot be cured once a plant is badly infected, so farmers focus on preventing infection and slowing its spread.
Resistant varieties. Plant breeders cross wheat with varieties or wild relatives carrying resistance genes (named Sr genes, for example Sr31). This is the cheapest and most effective method. However, the fungus evolves: mutation or recombination can produce a new race that the resistance gene no longer recognises, as happened when Ug99 overcame Sr31. Breeders now combine (stack) several resistance genes in one variety, because it is much less likely that the fungus will overcome all of them at once.
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All 17 lessons in Viruses, Fungi and Protozoa · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics