Wheat cultivars were evaluated on experiments in soils with and without aluminum toxicity in the Paranapanema Valley, in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the period 1981-1984. The characteristics studied were related to reactions to the agent of stem and leaf rusts, reaction to Helminthosporium sp. and the effect of climatic conditions. There was no difference in grain yield among the cultivars presenting sensitivity to aluminum toxicity, however the tolerant cultivars PAT 72247, CEP 7780 and BH 1146 showed good performance in relation to grain yield. The cultivars Anahuac, Sparrow"S", CEP 74138, CEP 7780, R 30464-77, CNT 8, El Pato and INIA 66 presented resistance to stem rust. The cultivar IAPAR 1 (Mitacoré) showed resistance to leaf rust. Alondra 46 classified as resistant to leaf rust until 1982, had the resistance broke down in 1983. The occurrence of leaf diseases caused by Helminthosporium sp. was variable during the period of study increasing its frequency when the plants were submitted to a high humidity period after the pathogen inoculation. The climatic conditions were very different to compare data from different years.
wheat; genotypes; grain yield; leaf and stem rusts; Helminthosporium sp.