Leaf rust and stripe rust are important foliar diseases of wheat worldwide. Leaf rust and stripe rust resistant introgression lines were developed by induced homoeologous chromosome pairing between wheat chromosome 5D and 5M^g of Aegilops geniculata (U^gM^g). Characterization of rust resistant BC₂F₅ and BC₃F₆ homozygous progenies using genomic in situ hybridization with Aegilops comosa (M) DNA as probe identified three different types of introgressions; two cytologically visible and one invisible (termed cryptic alien introgression). All three types of introgression lines showed similar and complete resistance to the most prevalent pathotypes of leaf rust and stripe rust in Kansas (USA) and Punjab (India). Diagnostic polymorphisms between the alien segment and recipient parent were identified using physically mapped RFLP probes. Molecular mapping revealed that the cryptic alien introgression conferring resistance to leaf rust and stripe rust comprised less than 5% of the 5DS arm and was designated as T5DL•5DS-5M^gS(0.95). Genetic mapping with an F₂ population of Wichita x T5DL•5DS-5M^gS(0.95) demonstrated monogenic and dominant inheritance of resistance to both diseases. Two diagnostic RFLP markers, previously mapped on chromosome arm 5DS, co-segregated with the rust resistance in the F₂ population. The unique map location of the resistant introgression on chromosome T5DL•5DS-5M^gS(0.95) suggested that the leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes were new and were designated as Lr57 and Yr40. This is the first documentation of a successful transfer and characterization of cryptic alien introgression from Ae. geniculata conferring resistance to both leaf rust and stripe rust in wheat.