Cisgenesis,a New Tool for Traditional Plant Breeding,Should be Exempted from the Regulation on Genetically Modified Organisms in a Step by Step Approach

Modern potato breeding requires over 100,000 seedlings per new variety. Main reasons are (1) the increasing number of traits that have to be combined in this tetraploid vegetatively propagated crop, and (2) an increasing number of traits (e.g., resistance to biotic stress) originates from wild species. Pre-breeding by introgression or induced translocation is an expensive way of transferring single traits (such as R-genes, coding for resistance to biotic stress) to the cultivated plant. The most important obstacle is simultaneous transfer of undesired neighbouring alien alleles as linkage drag. Stacking several genes from different wild sources is increasing this linkage drag problem tremendously. Biotechnology has enabled transformation of alien genes into the plant. Initially, transgenes were originating mainly from microorganisms, viruses or non-crossable plant species, or they were chimeric. Moreover, selection markers coding for antibiotic resistance or herbicide resistance were needed. Transgenes are a new gene source for plant breeding and, therefore, additional regulations like the EU Directive 2001/18/EC were developed. Because of a strong opposition against genetic modification of plants in Europe, the application of this Directive is strict, very expensive, hampering the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops and the use of this technology by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Currently, GM crops are almost the exclusive domain of multinationals. Meanwhile, not only transgenes but also natural genes from the plant species itself or from crossable plant species, called cisgenes, are available and the alien selection genes can be avoided in the end product. This opens the way for cisgenic crops without alien genes. The existing EU directive for GM organisms is not designed for this new development. The cisgenes belong to the existing breeders’ gene pool. The use of this classical gene pool has been regulated already in agreements regarding breeders’ rights. We are proposing a step by step approach starting with a crop and gene specific derogation and monitoring towards a general exemption of cisgenic plants from the Directive. Two examples, i.e. development of cisgenic potato for resistance to Phytophthora infestans and cisgenic apple for resistance to Venturia inaequalis are discussed shortly for illustration of the importance of cisgenesis as a new tool for traditional plant breeding. Cisgenesis is simplifying introgression and induced translocation breeding tremendously and is highly recommended for SMEs and developing countries.     

土耳其小麦种质条锈病抗性评价和抗病基因分析

为鉴定177份土耳其小麦种质对中国当前条锈菌流行小种的抗病性水平,分析其条锈病抗性基因的存在情况,在杨凌人工诱发病圃(CYR32、CYR33、CYR34)及江油和天水自然诱发病圃对供试材料进行了成株期条锈病抗性鉴定,选用小麦条锈菌致病型PST-Lab.1、PST-Lab.2、PST-V26.1在温室进行苗期分小种抗病鉴...     

Marker-assisted Breeding for Disease Resistance in Potato

Sub-project 5 of BIOEXPLOIT aims to design durable disease resistance through marker-assisted breeding by converting existing markers for high-throughput application, developing and validating high-throughput marker technologies and pyramiding major R genes and/or quantitative trait loci into elite material. Activities include (1) the fine mapping of the quantitative trait locus PiXspg which accounts for a large proportion of the variation in late blight resistance, (2) converting SNP-based markers and an AFLP marker to easy-to-use-markers, (3) testing of progenies with combined sources of late blight resistance for presence of R genes and agronomic features, (4) backcrossing new sources of resistance to S. tuberosum and molecular screening of breeding materials with marker GP94 linked with gene Rpi-phu1 conferring late blight resistance, (5) evaluating potato clones with enhanced resistance against Phytophthora infestans under field conditions of Toluca (México), and (6) developing populations and marker-assisted breeding for disease resistance.     

长江中下游小麦新品系条锈病抗性评估与抗病基因分析

由小麦条锈菌(Puccinia striiformis West. f. sp. tritici Eriks.& Henn.)引起的条锈病是世界范围内小麦的重要病害。长江中下游麦区是中国小麦主产区之一和重要的小麦商品粮基地,也是中国小麦条锈病流行的重点防控地区。准确评价该地区小麦品种（系）对当前小麦条锈病流行小种的抗性,了解抗条锈基因在各个品种及所处麦区内的分布状况,对及时调整抗病育种目标、指导抗病品种及抗病基因的合理布局与应用具有重要意义。本研究收集了2019-2021年间苏、皖、鄂等长江中下游麦区103份小麦材料,包括34份当地主栽品种和69份参加新品种区域审定试验的高代品系,于2021年分别在陕西杨凌混合小种（CYR32、V26-lab）人工病圃及四川江油自然诱发病圃进行成株期抗条锈性鉴定;以当前流行条锈菌小种条中32（CYR32）和G22致病类群（V26-lab）对参鉴品系进行苗期分小种鉴定,利用16个已知抗条锈基因的19个SNP标记进行分子检测,其中包括11个全生育期抗病基因［Yr5a、Yr5b (YrSP)、Yr6、Yr7、Yr9、Yr15、Yr26、Yr28、Yr81、YrZH84和YrAS1676］和5个成株期抗病基因（Yr18、Yr30、Yr78、Yr86和YrLT26）,推测小麦品系可能携带的抗病基因。结果表明,34份主栽品种中,23份表现成株期抗病。在69份高代品系中,苗期对CYR32和V26-lab小种表现抗病的品系分别有11份和13份,对CYR32和V26-lab均表现免疫或者近免疫的品系仅有2份。根据品系成株期抗病DS值的聚类热图结果表明,在杨凌表现抗病的品系有44份,在江油表现抗病的品系有25份,在两地均表现环境稳定抗病的品系有17份。分子检测表明,参鉴品系中可能携带Yr5b、Yr6、Yr7、Yr9、Yr30、Yr78、Yr81、Yr86、YrZH84、YrLT26和YrAS1676,其中只有Yr6、Yr81和YrLT26显著影响抗病性,没有发现可能携带Yr5a、Yr15、Yr18、Yr26和Yr28的品系。此外,Yr78、Yr81、Yr86和YrAS1676组合表现可有效抗条锈病。长江中下游麦区小麦品系对小麦条锈菌当前流行小种的抗性整体水平较2010年前明显提高,抗病基因的使用呈多样化趋势。     

An Outlook on the Localisation and Structure-Function Relationships of R Proteins in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum</Emphasis>

The co-evolution of plants and plant-pathogens shaped a multi-layered defence system in plants, in which Resistance proteins (R proteins) play a significant role. A fundamental understanding of the functioning of these R proteins and their position in the broader defence system of the plant is essential. Sub-project 3 of the BIOEXPLOIT programme studies how R proteins are activated upon effector recognition and how recognition is conveyed in resistance signalling pathways, using the solanaceous R proteins Rx1 (from S. tuberosum spp. andigena; conferring extreme resistance against Potato Virus X), I-2 (from S. lycopersicon; mediating resistance to Fusarium oxysporum) and Mi-1.2 (from S. lycopersicon; conferring resistance to Meloidogyne incognita) as model systems. The results obtained in this project will serve as a model for other R proteins and will be translated to potential applications or alternative strategies for disease resistance. These include the modification of the recognition specificity of R proteins with the aim to obtain broad spectrum resistance to major pathogens in potato.     

小麦TaWRKY2基因组分析及在进化和育种材料中的检测

小麦WRKY转录因子在抗旱抗逆等方面有重要作用。为小麦抗旱抗逆分子模块组装育种提供参考,本研究在已有小麦TaWRKY2基因cDNA序列（GenBank登录号：EU665425）的基础上,从小麦品种晋麦79号中克隆获得TaWRKY2基因全长序列,并对TaWRKY2的基因结构、基因组信息进行研究,同时检测其在部分小麦亲缘种、黄淮麦区水旱地代表品种、本课题组选育的高代品系及部分水旱地杂交组合F₁代中的分布。结果表明,克隆所得到的TaWRKY2基因全长DNA序列包含4个外显子和3个内含子,其中,3个内含子长度变化范围为111~172 bp;外显子和内含子的交接处序列符合GT-AG原则;与乌拉尔图小麦（Triticum urartu,AA）和粗山羊草（Aegilops tauschii,DD）中的片段序列同源性分别为93%和99%,与中国春小麦（AABBDD）1AS、1BS和1DS染色体的片段序列同源性分别为93%、88%和99%。除野生一粒小麦外,在小麦进化祖先种、黄淮海水旱地推广的代表品种、课题组选育的高代品系及F₁代共78份材料中,都能够检测出该基因的普遍存在,说明该基因可应用于小麦抗旱抗逆分子设计育种中。     

转小麦 TaPDI-A、 TaTRXh-A和 TaPP2Ac-D基因拟南芥植株的主要抗旱性研究

核氧还蛋白（nucleoredoxin,NRX）可通过还原目标蛋白的二硫键来调控其生物活性,在植物的生长发育和抗逆境胁迫中发挥着重要作用。蛋白质二硫键异构酶（protein disulfide isomerase,PDI）、h型硫氧还蛋白（h-type thioredoxin,TRXh）和蛋白磷酸酶2A催化亚基（protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit,PP2Ac）是小麦核氧还蛋白TaNRX1的互作蛋白。为了明确TaNRX1互作蛋白的抗旱性功能,本研究在拟南芥中过表达了小麦 TaPDI-A、 TaTRXh-A和 TaPP2Ac-D基因,对野生型和转基因拟南芥的表型和抗旱相关生理指标进行了鉴定。结果表明,干旱胁迫处理后,转 TaPDI-A、 TaTRXh-A和 TaPP2Ac-D基因拟南芥的根长、存活率、脯氨酸含量均大于野生型,离体叶片失水率、丙二醛（MAD）含量均小于野生型。二氨基联苯胺（diaminobenzidine,DAB）对H₂O₂组织定位染色结果表明,干旱胁迫处理后,转 TaPDI-A、 TaTRXh-A和 TaPP2Ac-D基因拟南芥的H₂O₂含量均低于野生型。上述结果说明,TaNRX1的互作蛋白基因 TaPDI-A、 TaTRXh-A和 TaPP2Ac-D增强了拟南芥对于干旱胁迫的抵抗能力。本研究可为小麦抗旱育种提供候选基因和理论基础。     

小麦水分高效利用分子育种研究进展

干旱缺水是引起全球作物减产的主要自然灾害。小麦水分高效利用遗传改良是一个重大课题。本文对小麦水分高效利用分子标记、功能基因克隆鉴定、转基因、分子设计育种等方面的国内外研究进展进行了综述。在小麦中已经鉴定出A组染色体上存在控制水分利用效率的QTL;开发出与TaSAP1等基因紧密连锁的功能标记;克隆了转录因子基因TaWRKY并对其抗旱抗逆功能进行了鉴定;转HVA1和DREB等基因的小麦可以明显提高水分高效利用能力;利用水旱地品种进行轮回杂交结合分子标记辅助选择育种技术进行了小麦水分高效利用分子设计育种初探。以上研究进展为小麦水分高效利用遗传改良提供了理论依据和技术支撑。     

Wild tuber-bearing species ofSolanum and incidence ofPhytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary on the Western slopes of the volcano Nevado de Toluca. 5. Type of resistance toP. infestans

Summary Plants of wildSolanum species (S. demissum (dms), S. verrucosum (ver), S. iopetalum (iop), S. brachycarpum (bra), and an unidentified species (unsp), from the natural habitat were inoculated in the laboratory withPhytophthora infestans race 0, to see if major genes for resistance were present, and with the most complex and aggressive race available in an attempt to reveal the level of general resistance. No plant with a susceptible reaction to race 0 was found in 120 plants ofdms, and 34 plants ofunsp. Plants with a hypersensitive reaction to race 0 and susceptible plants were found inver. When infected with a complex aggressive isolate of the fungus 73.5% of the WSS plants were susceptible. It was concluded that WSS in the area possess both complex race specific resistance and a high level of general resistance, whose effects cannot yet be separated.     

Debate on the Exploitation of Natural Plant Diversity to Create Late Blight Resistance in Potato

This paper reports on a debate on intriguing propositions relating to the scientific, agronomic, societal and economic impact of the BIOEXPLOIT project, focusing on late blight resistance in potato. It discusses (i) whether identifying pathogen effectors will facilitate selecting durable R genes, (ii) whether breeding for durable late blight resistance requires deploying Rpi (for Resistance to P hytophthora i nfestans) genes, (iii) whether breeding strategies and cultural practices determine the durability of new resistance genes, (iv) whether marker-assisted breeding for Phytophthora infestans resistance is already in the stage of adoption, (v) to what extent genetically-modified organism technology can advance realizing late-blight resistant potato cultivars, and (vi) whether modifying R genes will result in novel broad spectrum resistance.     

中国小麦主栽品种抗条锈性评价与基因分析

为给全国小麦条锈病大区流行的预测预报和综合防控提供数据支持,在陕西杨凌设置当前流行小种CYR32和CYR33的混合病圃,在甘肃天水设置自然发病圃,对74个主栽小麦品种进行连续两年成株期抗病性鉴定,同时对其进行苗期室内分小种(CYR32和CYR33)和田间自然发病状态下的鉴定;分别选用Yr5、Yr9、Yr10、Yr15、Yr17、Yr18和Yr26等7个已知抗条锈病基因的分子标记进行基因检测。抗病鉴定结果显示,参试的74个小麦主栽品种中,无全生育期抗病品种,4个成株期抗病品种,10个在杨凌成株期抗病的品种在天水自然小种圃中有不同程度的感病;分子检测结果显示,参试小麦品种中24个品种含Yr9,4个品种带有Yr17,5个品种带有Yr26,未发现含Yr5、Yr10、Yr15和Yr18的小麦品种。这一结果表明,当前我国大面积种植的小麦品种抗条锈病水平整体较低,且抗病基因较单一,存在小麦条锈病在条件适宜时大面积流行的风险,必须进一步加强病害预警预报。     

Factors that impact on the ability of biofumigants to suppress fungal pathogens and weeds of strawberry

This research aimed at identifying factors that improve the efficacy of biofumigants for soil disinfestation against strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) pathogens and weeds. In laboratory bioassays, volatiles released from the macerated roots of a Brassica rapa/Brassica napus biofumigant crop were six times more effective at suppressing the growth of the strawberry pathogen Rhizoctonia fragariae than shoots. Furthermore, the toxicity of the volatiles from the biofumigant crop to R. fragariae increased as plant developmental stage progressed. These results related to the release of higher quantities and greater diversity of isothiocyanates (ITCs) from the roots of mature biofumigant plants than from their shoots. Separate bioassays showed that volatiles from the biofumigant crop suppressed the growth of six different soil-borne pathogens (Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum dematium, Cylindrocarpon destructans, Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium ultimum, Phytophthora cactorum, and R. fragariae) of strawberry and seven Trifolium spp. (clover) weeds. The suppression of Trifolium spp. by biofumigant volatiles did not relate to their seed size, but might relate to their hard-seededness or genotype. In the field, rotary incorporation of the biofumigant crop did not produce detectable levels of ITCs in soil; reduce the survival of the strawberry pathogens, P. cactorum and C. destructans; or affect populations of culturable soil microflora. Yet, it suppressed the growth of emerging weeds by 40% and the growth of P. cactorum by 20%. We hypothesise that allelochemicals other than ITCs, such as nitriles, or other biological mechanisms might also play a role in biofumigation. A key to improving the efficacy of biofumigation in the field seems to lie in the development of application technologies that can macerate and incorporate biofumigants evenly in soils, in addition to incorporating biofumigants under optimal edaphic conditions for release of ITCs.     

玉米抗粗缩病主效QTL (qMrdd1)的基因多效性分析

前期研究中将主效抗病QTL(qMrdd1)定位在第8染色体分子标记M103.4-M105.3之间,该抗病QTL表现为隐性基因遗传,可降低24.2%~39.3%的发病率。通过分子标记检测,在抗病系NT411(供体亲本)和感病系NT409(轮回亲本)回交多代的群体中,选择7个含有抗性QTL(qMrdd1)的杂合单株自交得到分离群体B1、B2、B3、B4、B5、B6、B7和来源于同一回交后代的两对抗感病近等基因系(B8-R、B8-S和B9-R、B9-S),利用这两对近等基因系与自交系A7110、Q319、CT03、昌7-2、43684、43683、43946组配13对杂交种,在植株整个生育期内无粗缩病病毒接种的条件下,在北京、海南和山东种植不同的材料并对7个分离群体和13对杂交种进行农艺性状调查,结果表明,7个分离群体中各基因型植株以及13对杂交种在株高、穗长、穗行数等农艺性状上差异不显著,qMrdd1基因对玉米产量性状不存在多效性现象,可以应用于抗粗缩病育种。     

小麦新品系的赤霉病抗性及分子标记分析

为有效降低赤霉病对我国黄淮麦区小麦生产的影响，培育抗赤霉病小麦新品种，以自主创制的13个抗赤霉病稳定的小麦新品系为材料，利用赤霉病菌地表接种和单花滴注法接种鉴定、分子标记检测等技术，鉴定其抗病性、主要农艺性状及赤霉病抗性相关的遗传基础。结果表明：（1）品系Xn12-2和Xn13-2对赤霉病表现为抗，平均病小穗率为11.5%和13.4%，严重度为1.9；其余11个品系表现中抗，平均病小穗率均小于30%，严重度均小于3.0，其中4个品系（Xn12-2、Xn10-2、Xn12-3和Xn12-7）兼抗条锈病；（2）参试新品系的越冬抗寒性较好，株高较矮（67~82 cm），穗较长（9.6~11.3 cm），千粒重高（39.2~50.2 g）；（3）11个品系携带有苏麦3号的Fhb1基因，部分品系兼具苏麦3号的Fhb2、Fhb5或QFhs.crc-2DL位点的优异等位变异。综上所述，参试部分品系不仅具有良好的赤霉病和条锈病抗性，其主要农艺性状基本满足黄淮南部麦区的主要育种目标要求，可作为小麦抗赤霉病改良的材料。     

ICARDA小麦种质抗条锈资源筛选和抗病基因分析

为给中国小麦抗条锈病育种筛选有效抗源,对203份来自ICARDA的小麦种质,利用杨凌人工病圃和天水、江油自然诱发病圃进行成株期条锈病抗性鉴定,利用条锈菌当前流行小种条中32(CYR32)和条中34(CYR34)在温室进行苗期分小种鉴定,利用 Yr5、 Yr9、 Yr10、 Yr15、 Yr17、 Yr18、 Yr26等抗条锈病基因已开发的分子标记进行基因检测。结果表明,203份材料中107份具有稳定的成株期抗性,31份苗期表现为专化抗性。从这些具有稳定抗病性的材料中,检测到抗条锈病基因 Yr9(51份)、 Yr10(2份)、 Yr17(30份)和 Yr18(56份),未检测到 Yr5、 Yr15、 Yr26;有12份抗条锈表现良好的材料未检测到任何基因,推测其可能携带未开发分子标记的已知基因或新基因。因此,这107份具有稳定抗性的材料可用于中国小麦抗条锈病育种,其中12份可能含有未知基因的材料有待进一步的遗传研究。     

河北省夏玉米苗期根病发生现状及病原初探

2008～2009年对河北省中南部夏玉米主产区玉米苗期根病进行调查发现,玉米苗期根病在河北省夏玉米主产区普遍发生,各地区平均病株率在73.9%～100.0%,病情指数在14.0～30.9.对各地区玉米根病病株进行病原菌分离和形态学鉴定,河北省夏玉米苗期根病主要因真菌引起,且由多种病原菌复合侵染,分离到的主要病原菌有藤仓赤霉复合种、离蠕孢菌、腐霉菌、丝核菌和禾谷镰孢菌,不同地区主要病原菌的种类存在差异.对优势病原菌进行致病力测定发现,离蠕孢菌致病力最强,且能引起植株矮化,严重影响地上部植株的生长.     

Societal Costs of Late Blight in Potato and Prospects of Durable Resistance Through Cisgenic Modification

In the European Union almost 6 Mha of potatoes are grown representing a value of close to €6,000,000,000. Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans causes annual losses (costs of control and damage) estimated at more than €1,000,000,000. Chemical control is under pressure as late blight becomes increasingly aggressive and there is societal resistance against the use of environmentally unfriendly chemicals. Breeding programmes have not been able to markedly increase the level of resistance of current potato varieties. New scientific approaches may yield genetically modified marker-free potato varieties (either trans- and/or cisgenic, the latter signifying the use of indigenous resistance genes) as improved variants of currently used varieties showing far greater levels of resistance. There are strong scientific investments needed to develop such improved varieties but these varieties will have great economic and environmental impact. Here we present an approach, based on (cisgenic) resistance genes that will enhance the impact. It consists of five themes: the detection of R-genes in the wild potato gene pool and their function related to the various aspects in the infection route and reproduction of the late blight causing pathogen; cloning of natural R-genes and transforming cassettes of single or multiple (cisgenic) R-genes into existing varieties with proven adaptation to improve their value for consumers; selection of true to the wild type and resistant genotypes with similar qualities as the original variety; spatial and temporal resistance management research of late blight of the cisgenic genetically modified (GM) varieties that contain different cassettes of R-genes to avoid breaking of resistance and reduce build-up of epidemics; communication and interaction with all relevant stakeholders in society and transparency in what research is doing. One of the main challenges is to explain the different nature and possible biological improvement and legislative repercussions of cisgenic GM-crops in comparison with transgenic GM-crops. It is important to realize that the present EU Directive 2001/18/EC on GM crops does not make a difference between trans- and cisgenes. These rules were developed when only transgenic GM plants were around. We present a case arguing for an updating and refinement of these rules in order to place cisgenic GM-crops in another class of GM-plants as has been done in the past with (induced) mutation breeding and the use of protoplast fusion between crossable species.     

305份国内外小麦种质条锈病与白粉病抗性鉴定与评价

为获得抗病小麦种质以促进其在育种上的应用,利用与抗条锈病基因和抗白粉病基因紧密连锁或共分离的分子标记对国内外的305份小麦种质进行检测。结果显示,携带 Yr10、 Yr15、 Yr18、 Yr26、 Yr46、 Pm8、 Pm21和 Pm34基因的材料分别为5、10、23、0、4、100、1、95份,占比依次为1.63%、3.28%、7.54%、0、1.31%、32.79%、0.33%、31.15%。携带上述抗性基因且表现出中抗水平以上的材料分别依次有2、3、7、0、3、59、1、62个,还有部分表现抗病的种质未检测到以上8个基因,其抗性可能由其他基因控制。本研究中没有一个种质材料同时携带两个多效抗病基因 Yr18和 Yr46,但 Yr18和 Yr46分别通过与 Yr10、 Pm8和 Pm34等抗病基因的组合,极大提高了品种的综合抗病能力,如CA0548( Yr18+ Yr10)、川麦42( Yr46+ Pm34)、Fr03717( Yr18+ Pm34)、鄂恩5号( Yr46+ Pm8),以上材料对条锈病和白粉病均具备中抗以上的抗性。因此,以后要充分发挥多效抗性基因的优势并培育兼抗性小麦品种。     

Long lasting rubber tree resistance to Microcyclus ulei characterized by reduced conidial emission and absence of teleomorph

The resistance of the MDF 180 Hevea brasiliensis cultivar to South American leaf blight caused by Microcyclus ulei has been studied under both controlled conditions of inoculation, and under natural infestation in the Brazilian state of Bahia. Inoculated isolates on this cultivar in most cases developed sporulating lesions and produced conidiospores, but at a moderate level, characteristic of a race non-specific, partial resistance. The teleomorph of M. ulei has never been reported on this cultivar, either in controlled conditions or in natural infestation, whereas it is commonly observed on other susceptible cultivars. This type of resistance has seldom been described for other pathosystems. MDF 180 resistance having also endured for more than 30 years in areas very conducive to the disease can, therefore, be described as a durable resistance. Rubber productivity of this cultivar is not sufficient to allow planting on industrial scale, but its resistance characteristics make it a good progenitor candidate for rubber tree resistance breeding programs.     

Assessing the resistance to gangrene of progenies of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) from parents differing in susceptibility

Summary The resistance to gangrene (caused byPhoma exigua var.foveata) of progenies from two hybridisation schedules involving cultivars resistant, susceptible, or of intermediate reaction to gangrene was assessed. Two methods of sampling tubers from field-grown single-plant plots of 18 clones representing each progeny were used: one tuber was taken from each plant, and a bulk sample of 18 tubers was selected at random from the whole progeny. Gangrene resistance was assessed after incubating tubers which had been rolled in cornmeal-sand inoculum ofP. exigua var.foveata, and was expressed as a percentage of tubers infected. Results from the two methods of sampling correlated closely, and agreed well with tests in a subsequent year on 10-tuber samples of each individual clone. It is concluded that an 18-clone sample adequately represented each progeny, and that the mid-parent gangrene score satisfactorily predicted the resistance of the resulting progeny. There are indications that susceptibility tended to be dominant. The implication of these findings to breeding for resistance to gangrene is discussed.