A new powdery mildew resistance gene designated as PmHo was identified in ‘Mv Hombár’ winter wheat, bred in Martonvásár, Hungary. It has exhibited a high level of resistance over the last two decades. Genetic mapping of recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross ‘Ukrainka’/Mv Hombár located this gene on chromosome 2AL. The segregation ratio and consistent effect in all environments indicated that PmHo is a major dominant powdery mildew resistance gene. The race-specific nature of resistance in Mv Hombár was shown by the emergence of a single virulent pathotype designated as 51-Ho. This pathotype was, to some extent, able to infect Mv Hombár, developing visible symptoms with sporulating colonies. Microscopic studies revealed that, in incompatible interactions, posthaustorial hypersensitivity reaction was the most prevalent but not exclusive plant defense response in Mv Hombár, and fungal growth was mostly arrested during haustorium formation or in the early stages of colony development. The delayed fungal development of the virulent pathotype 51-Ho may be explained by additional effects of other loci that were also involved in the powdery mildew resistance of Mv Hombár.

Drought stress frequently occurs in the reproductive stage of wheat, causing significant yield loss. To study the developmental stage dependency of the effect of drought stress on photosynthesis, plants of the drought-tolerant Plainsman V and sensitive Cappelle Desprez winter wheat varieties were grown in phytotron chambers and subjected to water withholding during three phenophases of reproductive development: meiosis, anthesis and early seed development (ESD).Stomatal conductance (g_s) and net photosynthesis (A_net) showed similar characteristics. Meiotic-stage drought only decreased the values of Cappelle Desprez significantly. Stressed Plainsman V showed a significantly smaller reduction and better regeneration for these parameters at anthesis. The decreases in gs and Anet were similar in both varieties when drought was applied during ESD. Studies on the intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) inflexion point implied that metabolic impairment was less typical of stressed Plainsman V than of Cappelle Desprez at meiosis and anthesis. The quantum efficiency of PSII (Φ_PSII) did not decline in either genotype during meiotic-stage drought. Stressed Plainsman V showed significantly higher Φ_PSII values compared to Cappelle Desprez at anthesis. During ESD, the values for stressed plants of both genotypes decreased to a similar extent.The results indicate that the effect of drought stress on photosynthesis shows developmental stage dependency during the reproductive life cycle of wheat.