Resistance to Rhopalosiphum padi (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum and in hybrids with H. vulgare subsp. vulgare

Summary Accessions of Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum, the progenitor of cultivated barley, were screened in field and glasshouse trials for resistance to the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi. A few selected lines were furthermore hybridized with a modern barley variety and the resulting populations evaluated. High levels of resistance were found among some of the spontaneum accessions resulting in lower aphid growth rates (maximum reduction 57%). Segregation patterns among siblings in F2 populations were continuous, indicating the presence of several genes with possibly additive effects. The usefulness of H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum for breeding aphid resistant barley is discussed.