HANCHINAL, R. R.ANILKUMAR, GADPALE2019-01-252019-01-252015-05http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810092404The present investigation was carried out to identify introgressed backcross segregants carrying leaf rust resistance genes, Lr24 and Lr28 (from donor parent NIL PBW343) into an elite, but susceptible bread wheat cultivar, DWR 162 background, using marker assisted foreground and background selection. Foreground selection for Lr24 and Lr28 was carried out using SCAR markers SCS719 and SCS1302 linked to Lr24 and SCAR marker SCS421 and SSR marker Xwmc313 linked to Lr28. Background selection in BC2F2 population was carried out using forty two SSR markers that were polymorphic between the parents DWR 162 and NIL PBW 343. Mean recurrent parent genome (RPG) recovered was 80.3% with a range from 67.5-94.7%. Individual BC2F2 plants were observed for 9 DUS (Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability) characters to identify plants which had recovered the characters of DWR 162. Genetic variability studies in BC2F2 population indicated high PCV and GCV for grain yield per plant (g) and high PCV and moderate GCV for number of productive tillers per plant, moderate PCV and GCV for number of spikelets per spike. High heritability and GAM were observed for number of tillers per plant. High heritability and moderate GAM was observed for the traits plant height (cm), spike length and number of spikelets per spike. For leaf rust infection, high PCV and GCV, moderate heritability and high GAM was recorded, suggesting that there is high variability for this trait in BC2F2 population of the cross DWR 162 X NIL PBW 343. BC2F2, F3 and F4 generation plants with both Lr24 and Lr28 genes indicated superior performance as compared to plants with either Lr24 or Lr28 leaf rust resistance genes.ennullThesis