Genetic resistance to take-all disease: from the past to the present

The take-all disease, caused by the fungus Gaeumannomyces tritici, is a significant factor limiting wheat yields globally. Several studies have suggested that resistance to this disease is likely quantitative and controlled by multiple genes. When G. tritici infects wheat, it activates both the plant’s defense signaling pathways and the fungus’s pathogenicity-related pathways. The resistance or susceptibility of the plant depends on the interactions between these defense and pathogenicity-related molecules. Screening wheat germplasm is a way to identify accessions with varying degrees of resistance to take-all disease. Using protein and DNA markers, unaffected by environmental factors, is crucial for connecting phenotypic changes in wheat plants to specific traits and mapping those traits on chromosomes. By combining methods such as hybridization, marker-assisted selection, and biotechnology, there is a good chance that the genetic basis of resistance to take-all disease in wheat can be understood, providing tools for successful selection in cultivar development. This review aims to provide a detailed narrative of the genetic research conducted on resistance to this disease.