Description:
Plants resistant to crown rust selected from PI 197270 (Finland), 'Sprinter', and germplasm collections obtained from old turfs in New Jersey and Maryland were used in a modified backcrossing program with plants selected from 'Manhattan' as recurrent parents. Selections from nine breeding populations, produced by progeny testing in seeded turf trials, were used as recurrent parents in a modified backcrossing program to improve stem rust resistance. Stem rust resistant plants selected from old turfs in Missouri, Washington, DC, and Oregon were used as donor parents. Twenty-two stem and crown rust resistant clones were selected, after progeny testing, as the parents of Manhattan II.