Long-term surveillance suggests multiple hybridization events by nuclear reassortment and accelerated intercontinental spread of wheat yellow rust

Drivers of evolution of crop pathogens leading to novel diversity and long-distance dispersal (LLD) may have strong implications on food security and sustainable plant disease control at global scales. However, consolidated evidence is often lacking due to absence of regular pathogen surveys beyond national capacities.

Our study documents world-wide connectivity between populations of Puccinia striiformis , causing yellow rust on cereals and grasses. Twelve cases of inter-continental spread of wheat yellow rust, including seven cases with major impact on disease epidemics in recipient areas, were detected from genotypic analyses of 3240 pathogen samples from 41 countries at six continents.

In three cases, the most plausible mechanism for novel pathogen diversity was somatic hybridization via nuclear reassortment between co-existing lineages on shared host cultivars, spreading by LDD from Europe to South America and Australia, respectively, a few years after first detection. Several high-impact incursions from South Asia into East Africa were also observed, including a genotype with a dramatic impact on wheat breeding programs of global relevance.

The present study stresses an urgent need for coordinated crop pathogens monitoring across borders. Only global efforts will enable prevention and control of pathogens that represent major challenges for food security at regional and global scales.