Reaction of Lycopersicon cultivars and wild accessions to tomato leaf curl virus

Summary 1201 tomato cultivars, breeding lines and accessions of Lycopersicon species were screened for tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV) under field and laboratory conditions during summer seasons of 1986 to 1989. Two lines of L. hirsutum (PI 390658 and PI 390659) and 2 lines of L. peruvianum (PI 127830 and PI 127831) were resistant to TLCV infection. These accessions did not produce any leaf curl symptoms either in field or after inoculation by whitefly Bemisia tabaci with TLCV. Adult whiteflies died within 3 days after releasing on resistant accessions (PI 390658, PI 390659, PI 127830), whereas the whiteflies survived upto 25 days on susceptible tomato cultivars. Under field conditions 0–4 and 5–25 adult whiteflies were observed on resistant and susceptible cultivars respectively. Hybridization was effected using the popular tomato cultivars Arka Sourabh, and Arka Vikas, as the female parents and the resistant Lycopersicon wild species as the pollen parents, to incorporate the resistant gene(s) into the edible tomatoes.     

Selection for partial resistance to downy mildew in peas by means of greenhouse tests

Summary A partially downy mildew resistant pea line was back-crossed to a susceptible cultivar with more pods per node and lower seed weight. Breeding lines with different degrees of infection in a greenhouse test were selected. These lines and the two parental lines were investigated in field trials and tested in the greenhouse for four generations. Significant genetic variation among lines was found for infection of seedlings in greenhouse tests, and infection of pods, pod set and seed weight in field-trials. Infection of seedlings in the greenhouse was correlated with infection of pods in the field. In greenhouse tests, the non-genetic variance component was large in comparison with the genetic component and a significant genotype trial interaction was found. Significant repeatability was obtained for downy mildew on seedlings and pods, number of pods per node and seed weight. An unfavourable correlation between susceptibility to downy mildew and number of pods per node was found. No single breeding line showed the ideal combination of good resistance, high number of pods per node and small seeds. However, one line showing better resistance than the susceptible parent, with smaller seeds and more pods per node than the resistant parent was found. The susceptible parent also carries some resistance factor that is not present in the resistant parent.     

Comparison of selection indices to screen lowland rice for drought resistance

Summary Although many selection indices have been used to screen rices (Oryza sativa L.) for drought resistance, there has been little comparison of the relative merits of these indices. Research was conducted to compare drought resistance as estimated from grain yields, canopy-temperature-based stress indices, visual scoring, and uprooting force for 30 rice genotypes grown in the field with a puddled Maahas clay (Typic Tropaquept) and to evaluate traits related to drought resistance from nonstressed plants grown in the field and in aeroponic culture. Water deficit was imposed in the field by withholding irrigation from 45 to 75 days after transplanting compared to a continuously flooded control. Grain yields in the stress treatment were most strongly correlated with visual assessment of drought stress symptoms according to a standard evaluation system (r = 0.66). Canopy-temperature-based indices were also significantly correlated with grain yields of the stress treatment (r from –0.55 to –0.63). No trait of aeroponically grown plants was correlated with traits of stressed plants in the field. We conclude that visual scoring of stressed plants was the best method of screening for drought resistance, but if controlled water deficit cannot be imposed, then drought resistance may be estimated by measuring both uprooting force and grain yield.     

The Location of Sources of Field Resistance to Bremia lactucae in Wild Lactuca Species

Thirty-one accessions of four Lactuca species (L. serriola, L. saligna, L. aculeata, L. squarrosa) and one L. serriola×L. sativa hybrid were screened for field resistance to Bremia lactucae. In the L. serriola group, significant differences in the level of field resistance were distinguished. The accessions PI 281876 and PI 253467 were free of infection. Moreover, all L. saligna accessions tested were totally free from disease during three-year-investigation.     

Introduction of new traits into cotton through genetic engineering: insect resistance as example

The main goal of gene transfer into cotton is the development of insect-resistant varieties. The stakes are important since cotton protection against insects uses almost 24% of the world's chemical insecticides market, which is not without consequences on the environment. The first approach was to introduce and express in the cotton genome, genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) which produces entomopathogenic toxins. The development of an efficient Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation system was the first step. The expression of B.t. genes was studied and synthetic genes more adapted to a plant genome have been constructed. Studies on their expression in cotton is underway. The second focus was to develop strategies that would minimize the risks of inducing insect resistance. The main approach is to associate several genes coding for entomopathogenic proteins with different modes of action. Genes encoding protease inhibitors were chosen. One possibility is to associate a B.t. gene and a gene encoding a protease inhibitor. Several protease inhibitors were tested in artificial diets on major pests of cotton. The corresponding genes have been introduced into the cotton genome. These various orientations of the research program will be presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resistance to late blight in potato. A putative gene that suppresses R genes and is elicited by specific isolates

Eleven progenies, ten bi-parental and one selfed, of tetraploid potato were assessed for phenotypic segregation ratios of resistance to susceptible individuals against two isolates of P. infestans, one avirulent to all 11 known potato R genes (avirulent pathotype) and one virulent to eight R genes (virulent pathotype). Assuming Mendelian inheritance of independent R genes, the numbers of individuals segregating for resistance to both races could not be explained sufficiently for all progenies. However, the assumed presence of dominant, specific suppressors of the R gene function that were elicited by specific isolates of the fungus and that segregated in the host independently from R genes explained all frequencies of resistant and susceptible individuals in each of the progenies studied. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sclerotinia rot resistance in red clover: Identification of RAPD markers using bulked segregant analysis

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used with the objective of identifying DNA markers linked to the sclerotinia crown and stem rot (SCSR) resistance of red clover. Bulked segregant analysis was used to detect polymorphism that should be linked to SCSR resistance. Two bulks were made by pooling previously extracted DNA. Each bulk (one resistant, and the other susceptible) consisted of eight genotypes from an F₂ population obtained from a cross between a susceptible and a resistant parent. A binomial model was used to select RAPD fragments with a low probability of no linkage with SCSR resistance. Four RAPD fragments were retained as candidate markers of SCSR resistance. Three are associated with resistance and one with susceptibility.     

Breeding wheat and rye for resistance to Fusarium diseases

Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum Groups 1 and 2 cause seedling blight, crown rot, foot rot and head blight in wheat and rye that may affect grain yield and quality for baking and feeding. This review starts with an analysis of Fusarium populations with regard to their genetic variation for aggressiveness, mycotoxin production, and isolate-by-host genotype interaction. To assess resistance in the different host growth stages, quantitative inoculation and disease assessment techniques are necessary. Based on estimated population parameters, breeding strategies are reviewed to improve Fusarium resistance in wheat and rye. Epidemiological and toxicological aspects of Fusarium resistance that are important for resistance breeding are discussed. F. culmorum and F. graminearum display large genetic variation for aggressiveness in isolate collections and in naturally occurring populations. The production of mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol and its derivatives, is a common trait in these populations. Significant isolate-by-host genotype interactions were not found across environments in wheat and rye. Artificial infections in the field are indispensable for improving Fusarium crown rot, foot rot and head blight resistance in wheat and rye. For a reliable disease assessment of large populations, disease severity ratings were found to be the most convenient. The differentiation of host resistance is greatly influenced by an array of nongenetic factors (macro-environment, microclimate, host growth stage, host organ) that show significant interactions with host genotype. Selection for environmentally stable resistance has to be performed in several environments under a maximum array of different infection levels. Selection in early growth stages or on one plant organ does not in most cases allow prediction of resistance in adult-plant stages or another plant organ. Significant genetic variation for resistance exists for all Fusarium-incited diseases in breeding populations of wheat and rye. The patho-systems studied displayed a prevalence of additive gene action with no consistent specific combining ability effects and thus rapid progress can be expected from recurrent selection. In wheat, intensive testing of parental genotypes allows good prediction of the mean head blight resistance after crossing. Subsequent selection during selfing generations enables the use of transgression towards resistance. In hybrid breeding of winter rye, the close correlation between foot rot resistance of inbred lines and their GCA effects implies that selection based on the lines per se should be highly effective. This is not valid for F. culmorum head blight of winter rye caused by a greater susceptibility of the inbred lines compared to their crosses. For both foot rot and head blight resistance, a high correlation between the resistance to F. graminearum and F. culmorum was found in wheat and rye. Mycotoxin accumulation occurs to a great extent in naturally and artificially infected plant stands. The correlation between resistance traits and mycotoxin contents are medium and highly dependent on the environment. Further experiments are needed to clarify whether greater resistance will lead to a correlated reduction of the mycotoxin content of the grains under natural infection.     

The identification and characteristics of field resistance to lettuce downy mildew (Bremia lactucae Regel)

Summary Eighty-one accessions of three Lactuca species which showed no recognisable race specific resistance to Bremia lactucae when tested in the laboratory as seedlings, exhibited different degrees of susceptibility when exposed to natural field infection. As a group, crisp genotypes had less mildew and a slower rate of disease development than other types of lettuce. Wild forms of Lactuca sativa and Lactuca serriola were particularly susceptible. In a further trial, the low field susceptibility of three lettuce cultivars (Iceberg, Batavia blonde de Paris and Grand Rapids) was confirmed. Disease development on cv. Iceberg was compared to that on the highly susceptible cv. Hilde in experiments where the two cultivars were grown either in close proximity or in isolation. The absolute level of attack on cv. Iceberg depended upon disease pressure and differences between the two types only became apparent approximately 8 wk after sowing.     

An analysis of genes for resistance against Indian stem rust races in two bread wheat cultivars

Summary The genetic constitution of two bread wheat accessions from the International Spring Wheat Rust Nurseries (E 5883 and E 6032) has been studied for reaction to four Indian races of stem rust. Analysis of E 5883 has revealed that for each of the races 15C, 21 and 40 a single dominant gene operates for resistance. The dominant gene against race 15C was identified as Sr6. The dominant genes for resistance against races 21 and 40 were found to be different from the genes described so far. Resistance against race 122 is controlled by a single recessive gene producing characteristically a 2 type of reaction. This gene was identified as Sr8.The resistance of E 6032 against each of the races 15C, 21 and 40 is controlled by two genes, one dominant and one recessive, which act independently. Dominant genes effective against 15C, 21 and 40 were conclusively identified as Sr6, Sr5 and Sr9b, respectively. From the correlated behaviour against races 15C and 40 as well as from the phenotypes of the resistance reactions rhe same recessive gene, undescribed so far, operates against the two races. The second recessive gene operating against race 21 was also observed to be different from those so far designated. E 6032 was, however, found to be susceptible to races 122.The presence of Sr6 both in E 5883 and E 6032 against race 15C was further confirmed through F₂ and F₃ segregation data.