Partial resistance is a promising strategy to be used by plant breeders in an attempt to increase the efficiency in producing cultivars with durable resistance. The objective of this paper is to discuss the utilization of this type of resistance in cereal breeding programs. Aspects as mode of evaluation, difficulties in selecting for and the durability of partial resistance are discussed. Alternatives to use partial resistance in breeding programs are presented and they represent an important strategy to develop genotypes with more stable performance in environments suitable for fungus disease development.
resistance components; durable resistance; slow rusting; plant breeding