Selection of durum and common wheat accessions for resistance to furoviruses under controlled environmental conditions

A method for resistance selection of cereals to furoviruses was established under controlled environmental conditions and compared with screening tests under field conditions. This test allows a clear differentiation of resistance levels between wheat genotypes, reproducible and independent from plant growth stage. The results obtained under conditions in growth chambers were confirmed by those obtained in parallel field experiments. The virus infection in roots and leaves of resistant wheat varieties was investigated in climatic chambers with inoculation by infested soils. The results of these experiments suggest that SBCMV was fungus transmitted and multiplied in most of the plant roots of resistant cultivars. The virus was transmitted from infected roots to the leaves in 25% to 37% of single plants in resistant wheat varieties.