Objective:
Determine the reaction of U.S. wheat cultivars and germplasm to newly detected races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (the causal fungus of stem rust) in Eastern Africa. Coordination of the Blobal Rust Initiative to implement the recommendations of the Expert Panel on the Stem Rust Outbreak in Eastern Africa. Focus will be on eliminating world-wide vulnerability to the new stem rust race Ug99. Support a special symposium on Cereal Rusts and Vulnerability tot the new East African race, Ug99, at the 7th International Wheat Conference in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Approach:
Obtain stem rust evaluations on presently grown cultivars, newly released cultivars, advanced experimental lines, and the North American stem rust differentials to potentially damaging Pgt races. In order to evaluate the material to a range of Pgt races, these evaluations are to be conducted in the field at a minimum of two locations in eastern Africa, beginning in the 2005 growing season. Because CIMMYT has a world wide mandate to improve wheat, as well as extensive experience in evaluating experimental wheat lines for disease resistance, it is logical that the USDA/ARS and State Experiment Stations collaborate with CIMMYT on this evaluation protocol.