Resistance of nineteen cultivars of subterranean clover to four races of Phytophthora clandestina

Summary The resistance of 19 cultivars of subterranean clover was screened against 4 races of P. clandestina by mycelial inoculation of roots of 10-day-old seedlings growing in water agar and by growing seedlings in pasteurised potting mix containing infested vermiculite in controlled conditions. The cultivars showed differential resistance (vertical resistance) to races of the pathogen and can be divided into 4 resistance groups. Cultivars Clare, Esperance, Green Range, Junee, Mount Barker, Rosedale, Woogenellup and Yarloop were susceptible to all races. Cultivars Bacchus Marsh, Denmark, Enfield, Gosse, Goulburn, Karridale, Larisa, Leura and Trikkala were susceptible to races 1 and 3, but resistant to races 0 and 2. Cultivar Meteora was susceptible to races 2 and 3, but resistant to races 0 and 1. Cultivar Seaton Park (LF) was resistant to all races. Cultivars also varied in their race-non-specific (horizontal) resistance: cultivars that were susceptible to particular races usually varied in their degree of susceptibility to those races. In particular, Junee was more resistant to all four races than the other cultivars within its group. Similarly, cultivars Gosse, Larisa, Denmark and Trikkala were more resistant to races 1 and 3 than the other cultivars in their group. Races of the pathogen varied in their aggressiveness as well as in their virulence, as shown by the variation in aggressiveness of different isolates of race 0.     

Variation in forage grasses as hosts of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne naasi (Franklin) and selection for resistance in ryegrass

Summary Reactions of 13 grasses to Meloidogyne naasi varied with species; ryegrasses, fescues and their hybrids were generally susceptible and cocksfoot and timothy resistant. Marked variation in host resistance levels occurred between genotypes within cultivars.Selection of single plants, followed by tests on replicate tillers, identified resistant and susceptible genotypes in both Italian and perennial ryegrass cultivars. Resistant plants had few nematode-induced galls and fewer females and eggs than susceptibles. There was more or less continuous variation, with many genotypes intermediate between extremes of resistance and susceptibility. Selected resistant and susceptible genotypes are of use in assessing variation in nematode populations and as controls for breeding and selection programmes.     

Expression of resistance to downy mildew at cotyledon and adult plant stages in Brassica oleracea L.

This research compared the expression of resistance to downy mildew at cotyledon and adult plant stages in seven Brassica oleracea genotypes against two P. parasitica isolates of different virulence. Seven day old seedlings were dual inoculated under controlled environment by depositing two 10 μl droplets of a spore suspension of a different isolate on each cotyledon and the interaction phenotype (IP) evaluated 7 days later using a 0–5 scale of increasing susceptibility. The seedlings were transplanted to 16 cm pots and grown in the greenhouse for 110 days (15 to 28 leaves). Adult plants were tested using a single leaf inoculation method that allowed the same plant to be simultaneously inoculated with the two P. parasitica isolates. Leaves were scored 10 days after inoculation using a 0–5 scale of increasing susceptibility. The inoculation of the same plant with the two isolates produced different combinations of cotyledon (CT) and adult-plant (AP) interaction-phenotype according to the genotype. CrGC 3.1 was susceptible at CT and AP stages, ‘Algarvia’ resistant at CT and AP stages, and broccoli ‘A’ susceptible at CT and resistant at AP stage against the two isolates. ‘Murciana’ and broccoli ‘B’ were differential at CT and AP stages. Savoy and Shetland cabbages were differential at CT stage and resistant to both isolates as adult plants. Cotyledon resistance could not be used to predict adult-plant resistance since the two types of resistance were very poorly correlated. Resistance can be race specific either at cotyledon or at adult-plant stage. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Early determination of genotypes for apple scab resistance by forced flowering of test cross progenies

Summary Apple selections with different major genes for resistance to apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) derived from Malus floribunda and M. pumila were crossed with each other. The progenies were screened as young seedlings for their reaction to V. inaequalis race 1. A gene for resistance from M. pumila, causing stellate necrotic (SN) lesions, was epistatic to a second gene for resistance from M. floribunda, causing irregular chlorotic (Chl) lesions. Although in most cases SN, Chl and susceptible phenotypes were clearly distinct, occasionally reactions were difficult to characterize or varied from one inoculation to another. Selected seedlings showing resistant or susceptible reactions were forced to flower in 16–20 months in the greenhouse and test crossed with susceptible cultivars. Test cross seedlings were screened for scab reaction. The presence of both genes for resistance in a resistant plant was indicated by presence of both Chl and SN resistant phenotypes in the test cross progeny. Chi-square analysis of four large progenies produced a good fit to the expected ratio. The use of the forced flowering technique to determine scab resistance genotypes in 28 months demonstrated its value in breeding apples with multiple disease resistance.     

Screening and identification of resistance to bacterial soft rot in Brassica rapa

Mist-chamber, field, and detached leaf inoculation procedures identified plants resistant to bacterial soft rot [Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, (Ecc)] in Brassica rapa and related species. The mist-chamber seedling inoculation provided the best correlation of mean disease severity ratings with the field plant inoculation (r = 0.67^**) and was used to identify resistant materials. The optimum mist-chamber incubation conditions to distinguish the resistance of accessions were 23 ^°C and 100% RH and were used for primary screening. A total of 752 accessions of B. rapa and related Cruciferae were screened. In general, accessions of B. oleracea were more resistant than accessions of B. rapa. Within B. rapa, subspecies pekinensis and chinensis were more susceptible than other subspecies. No completely resistant material was found. In species of B. rapa, only 7% of accessions showed some degree of resistance with plant-to-plant variation within the accessions. G30444, G30449, and AVRDC2837 were identified as the most resistant materials in B. rapa by both mist-chamber and field inoculations. The resistance was correlated between an USA isolate (Geneva-1) and two Chinese isolates (RL4-1 and RL-19) of Ecc. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic variation in Zantedeschia spp. (Araceae) for resistance to soft rot caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora

Bacterial soft rot caused by Erwiniacarotovora subsp. carotovora is amajor disease in Zantedeschia spp.,particularly in cultivars from the sectionAestivae. The disease can partiallybe controlled by cultivation measures, so acombination with resistant cultivars couldeffectively protect the crop. However,resistant commercial Aestivaecultivars are not available yet. By meansof a recently developed non-destructiveresistance test, variation inaggressiveness was observed among fiveisolates of Erwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora without interactionsbetween the isolates and three Zantedeschia accessions. Within elevenaccessions of Z. aethiopica,variation was observed from almost completeto moderate resistance, while theZ. odorata accession was susceptible.All 21 Aestivae cultivars weresusceptible. Within the Aestivaespecies, Z. elliotiana and Z.pentlandii were also susceptible, butwithin twelve accessions of Z.albomaculata, as well as in six accessionsof Z. rehmannii, variation was foundfrom susceptible to moderately resistant.Hence, new sources of resistance wereidentified that show good potentials forresistance breeding.     

Evaluation of the virulence of races 1, 2 and 4 of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi in carnation

Summary A simultaneous analysis of the virulence of races 1, 2 and 4 of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi to a series of nine carnation cultivars revealed the presence of different interactions between races and cultivars, as well as differences in pathogenesis between race 1 on the one hand and race 2 and 4 on the other.The most common race 2 induced typical symptoms of Fusarium wilt in all susceptible cultivars. The cultivars showed considerable variation in resistance to race 2. Only Novada remained free of external symptoms throughout the experiment. In diseased plants of all cultivars studied, infected vascular tissue was white with dark brown margins, and heavy degradation of the cell walls and xylem parenchyma cells had occurred. All Dutch isolates corresponded with race 2.Race 4 induced wilt symptoms similar to those induced by race 2, and there was a similar variation in resistance to race 2 and 4 in the cultivars. On average, the race 4 isolates were less aggressive than those of race 2. Compared with race 2, there was evidence of some genotype × race interactions: Pallas proved to be considerably more susceptible, and Lena more resistant to race 4 than to race 2. The isolates of race 4 induced a nistopathology similar to that induced by race 2, but with less vascular browning.Race 1 induced atypical but severe wilt symptoms and unusual vascular discoloration in Elsy, Niky and Sam's Pride only. The vascular tissue in these cultivars turned pale brown; in spite of heavy colonization of these tissues virtually no degradation of cell walls was observed. All other cultivars tested proved virtually resistant to race 1, providing further evidence for genotype × race interactions.Within races, limited but statistically significant genotype × isolate interactions were found as well, in particular within race 4. These are tentatively attributed to independent variation of two (or more) resistance components.     

Screening for Fusarium resistance in seedling populations of Asiatic hybrid lily

A test to select Fusarium resistant seedlings of the Asiatic hybrid lily is described. Young seedlings of 28 populations, obtained from an incomplete diallel between eight parents with different levels of Fusarium resistance, were tested for resistance. Significant differences in Fusarium resistance between and within populations were detected. The average percentage of selected seedlings ranged from 34% in resistant × resistant crosses to 2% in susceptible × susceptible crosses. Although resistant descendants were obtained in susceptible × susceptible crosses, using at least one resistant parent produced higher percentages of resistant seedlings. The resistance level of the parents correlated highly with the general combining ability for Fusarium resistance based on the seedling test. For eight populations, seedlings selected for Fusarium resistance and non-tested (control) seedlings of the same cross were compared, after propagation, in a clonal test. Variation between and within populations, found at seedling level, was confirmed at clonal level. A positive selection response was found for all eight populations. In the seedling test, approximately 18% of the seedlings were selected as resistant of which 15% (2.7% of seedlings tested) appeared to be susceptible escapes. Comparison between selection at seedling level and at clonal level indicated that approximately 25% of the seedlings tested were missed (rejected resistant plants) in the seedling test. The practical use of a seedling test for Fusarium resistance in lily breeding programs is discussed.     

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.     

A single dominant gene for downy mildew resistance in broccoli

Downy mildew, incited by Peronospora parasitica (Pers.: Fr.) Fr., is a destructive disease of broccoli (Brassica oleraceaL., Italica Group). Resistant cultivars represent a desirable control method to provide a practical, environmentally benign, and long-term means of limiting damage from this disease. Doubled-haploid (DH) lines developed by us exhibit a high level of downy mildew resistance at the cotyledon stage. To determine the mode of inheritance for this resistance, a resistant DH line was crossed to a susceptible DH line to make an F₁, from which F₂ and backcross (BC) populations were developed. All populations were evaluated for response to artificial inoculation with P. parasitica at the cotyledon stage. All F₁ plants (including reciprocals) were as resistant as the resistant parent, indicating no maternal effect for this trait. F₂ populations segregated approximately 3resistant to 1 susceptible, BC populations using the resistant parent as the recurrent parent contained all resistant plants, and the BC to the susceptible parent segregated 1 resistant to 1 susceptible. These results indicate that resistance is controlled by a single dominant gene. This gene should be easily incorporated into F₁ hybrids and used commercially to prevent downy mildew at the cotyledon stage. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of globe artichoke and related germplasm for resistance to artichoke latent virus

Summary A total of 280 globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) clones were assessed for reaction to naturally occurring artichoke latent virus (ALV) in field trials. Also, the reaction of 17 seed progenies of crosses which produced ALV-resistant clones in the field, 20 self progenies of parental genotypes common to these crosses, self progenies of 17 artichoke cultivars, and 7 accessions ofC. cardunculus andC. syriaca were evaluated in the glasshouse following mechanical inoculation with ALV. The local and systemic presence of ALV, and the relative virus content in infected plants were determined by ELISA.All cultivars and most of the otherC. scolymus material tested (clones and seed progenies) proved to be highly susceptible to ALV. Ten progenies were less susceptible to mechanical inoculation as shown by the moment the virus could be detected, and a slow rate of accumulation of viral antigen. Some plants in two seed progenies possessed apparently a high resistance as could be concluded from the failure of ALV to spread or to multiply in plant.Accessions ofC. cardunculus andC. syriaca were also highly susceptible to ALV. However, an interspecific hybridC. cardunculus x C. syriaca presented the highest level of resistance, the plants remained free of local and systemic infection. Ratios of resistant to susceptible plants in self progenies of resistant plants suggested that this resistance was dominant.     

Comparative genetic analysis of field resistance to downy mildew in the lettuce cultivars ‘Grand Rapids’ and ‘Iceberg’

Downy mildew on lettuce is currently controlled using host resistance genes (Dm genes) that confer race-specific resistance in seedlings. Field resistance (FR) that is active in adult plants but not seedlings was identified in the cvs. Grand Rapids and Iceberg. The goal of our study was to evaluate the utility of Grand Rapids as a source of novel Bremia resistance alleles, particularly in comparison with Iceberg. To measure FR, downy mildew symptoms were evaluated following natural infection in field experiments. The responses of Grand Rapids and Iceberg were similar in many respects. Although both cultivars had a small percentage of plants exhibiting disease symptoms, the average disease ratings were as low as for cultivars with effective Dm genes. We observed no evidence for race specificity. FR was effective over 3 years of our study, despite documented variation within pathogen populations. Both cultivars lacked all known seedling resistance genes except Dm13, which was not responsible for the resistance observed in field experiments. Similar segregation of FR was observed in F₂ populations for both Grand Rapids and Iceberg. The presence of highly susceptible families within Grand Rapids × Iceberg populations suggested the presence of at least one unique resistance allele in each cultivar. Preliminary genetic analysis of FR from Grand Rapids revealed a high estimate of narrow-sense heritability that suggested simple inheritance, but single gene models did not fit the observed data. Our results suggest that Grand Rapids may represent an underutilized resource for controlling downy mildew in lettuce.     

Testing inoculation methods and sources of resistance to the halo blight bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola) in Phaseolus vulgaris

Summary A comparative test of six inoculation methods was conducted using 2 halo blight race 2 virulent strains, Nebr. HB 16 and HB 21 (Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola), on five dry bean cultivars/lines (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) of known resistance and susceptibility. The water-soaking of leaves method caused the most severe reaction among the leaf inoculation methods, followed by the carborundum, spraying and multiple needle methods, respectively. The seed soaking method was considered too severe to be useful, since entries identified as resistant by the other methods, were susceptible with the former method. Great Northern Nebraska # 1 sel. 27 and PI 150414 had the highest level of leaf resistance, but the former developed systemic chlorosis with the stem stabbing method, but not the latter line. No systemic chlorosis was seen in either line with the other methods of inoculation. This suggests that there may be a different genetic mechanism conferring resistance/susceptibility to the toxin in these two lines when the stabbing method is used. No interaction occurred between method by genotype and isolate by method but significant interactions occurred between genotype by isolate and method by isolate by genotype. The leaf and pod reaction of forty cultivars/lines to the new halo blight Nebr. Charlevoix strain was also determined. Different combinations of degrees of resistance and susceptibility of leaves and pods were observed. GN Tara, GN Harris, and PI 150414 had the highest combination of leaf and pod resistance.Published as paper No. 7094, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Research was conducted under Project No. 20-036.     

Crown depth and susceptibility to crown rot in wheat

Sources of partial resistance to crown rot caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum are detected in mature plants grown in artificially inoculated soil in the field. The resistance in most but not all of these sources can also be detected in seedlings. In order to determine whether partial resistance is related to depth of crown formation, this character was measured in 13 cultivars/lines with a range of reaction to crown rot. It was also measured in doubled haploid plants from the cross, Batavia/2–49. Crown depths varied from 17.1 mm to -2.3 mm (above ground) in pots in a waterbath at 25 ^°C and from 43.5 mm to 20.7 mm when plants were grown in the field. The correlation coefficient between relative susceptibility to crown rot (Field test) and crown depth of 13 cultivars/lines was 0.57 (p ≤ 0.05). With the exception of the cultivars, Sunco and Pelsart, partial resistance to crown rot was inversely related to depth of crown formation. This indicates that depth of crown formation may be partly responsible for the reaction of a cultivar/line to crown rot. Depth of crown formation was also measured in susceptible and partially resistant cultivars/lines grown from seed planted at different depths. As depth of seeding increased, depth of crown formation in partially resistant and susceptible cultivars/lines increased in similar proportions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resistance in two Lycopersicon species to an Arkansas isolate of tomato spotted wilt virus

Summary Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was obtained from infected tomatoes in commercial fields in Arkansas in 1985. A greenhouse screening procedure for identifying tomatoes resistant to TSWV was established using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect infected plants. Symptom expression was variable and symptom expression was not reliable for identifying infected plants. Germplasm evaluated for resistance to one typical Arkansas isolate (85–9) of TSWV included: twenty cultivars and breeding lines of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, 52 accessions of L. pimpinellifolium (Jusl.) Mill and 8 accessions of L. peruvianum (L.) Mill. All cultivated accessions and breeding lines evaluated were susceptible. Some individual plants in several accessions of L. pimpinellifolium were resistant and nearly all plants of the L. peruvianum accessions that were evaluated were resistant to isolate 85–9.Dept. of Plant Pathology     

Brassica coenospecies: a rich reservoir for genetic resistance to leaf spot caused by Alternaria brassicae

Development of leaf spot resistant mustard cultivars is a relevant objective in view of heavy crop losses caused by this pathogen. Thirty-eight species belonging to 9 genera, including cultivated and wild allies, of the genus Brassica were evaluated under epiphytotic conditions for two years. Inoculations were done on whole plants (in vivo) and on detached leaves (in vitro). Data on incubation period, number of lesions per leaf, lesion size and leaf area covered by lesions were recorded. Species which never produced disease symptoms throughout the growing period in pots and until 72 hours after inoculation in detached leaf assays during both years were treated as resistant, while those that produced symptoms were classified as moderately resistant, susceptible or highly susceptible depending upon incubation period, size of lesions and leaf area covered by disease symptoms. Eight species (Brassica desnottesii, Camelina sativa, Coincya pseuderucastrum, Diplotaxis berthautii, D. catholica, D. cretacea, D. erucoides, and Erucastrum gallicum) were found completely resistant, whereas others were classified as moderately resistant (12), susceptible (11) or highly susceptible (9). Since resistance is unavailable within the cultivated species, these 8 resistant wild species could be used as donor parents for introgressing resistance to leaf spot disease in Indian mustard. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect on leaf photosynthetic rate by leaf blast for rice cultivars with different types and levels of resistance

Summary The effect of an inoculation with Pyricularia oryzae (isolate P06-6) on net leaf photosynthetic rate of rice (Oryza sativa) was studied with four cultivars. Measurements were taken on the sixth leaf of the main culm of plants in the early tillering stage. On cultivars CO39, IR50 and IR64 a susceptible infection type developed, but a clear difference in relative infection efficiency of the cultivars was observed. The highest number of lesions developed on leaves of CO39, whereas the lowest number was found on leaves of IR64. For all three cultivars the effect of a single lesion on the reduction in net leaf photosynthetic rate was found to be equal to a reduction in leaf area of three times the area occupied by the visible lesion. On IR68, a cultivar with complete resistance, brown specks of pinpoint size appeared without any effect on net leaf photosynthetic rate.     

The importance of abortive stoma penetration in the partial resistance and nonhost reaction of adult barley and wheat plants to leaf rust fungi

Summary Early stages of the infection process of Puccinia hordei isolate 1.2.1 and of a P. recondita f.sp. tritici isolate were studied on adult plants of four barley lines and one wheat line. Two of the barley lines are extremely susceptible to P. hordei, the other two have a very high level of partial resistance.A histological study based on a trypan blue staining indicated that stoma penetration by P. hordei isolate 1.2.1 was equally successful on the susceptible as on the partially resistant adult barley plants. Abortion of substomatal vesicles was rare in all lines. These results do not support a hypothesis that mechanisms of partial resistance in adult plants differ from those in seedlings by a substantial abortive stoma penetration.Also in the nonhost combinations wheat-P. hordei and barley-P. recondita f.sp. tritici inhibition of stoma penetration and of substomatal vesicle development appears to play a biologically insignificant role in adult plants.The proportion of stoma penetration on the leaf sheaths of two of the barley lines was as high as on the leaf blades of the flag leaf and the leaf below the flag leaf. There was no evidence for stomatal exclusion as a crucial factor in the relatively low infectibility of leaf sheaths to leaf-blade specialized rust species.     

Resistance to a single UK isolate ofColletotrichum acutatum in strawberry germplasm from Northern Europe

Summary Colletotrichum acutatum on strawberry was first introduced to the UK on runners of cultivar Brighton, which were imported from California in 1983. Recently further outbreaks have been reported following the importation of infected runner plants from mainland Europe. Phytosanitary precautions have so far been successful in controlling the disease but the current trend in the UK is for increasing late season production. This increases the likelihood of there being fruiting plants when the environmental conditions are favourable toC. acutatum. Fifteen cultivars and 19 HRI breeding lines were tested for susceptibility toC. acutatum using the most pathogenic isolate found on plants imported into the UK. It is likely this isolate was originally of Californian origin. Potted plants were spray inoculated and subsequently rated in the glasshouse using a disease severity rating (DSR) with the range from 0–4, where a rating of 4 indicated severe disease symptoms. In contrast to results from California and Italy standard deviations were variable and often large and consequently it was considered unsafe to classify the susceptibility of the genotypes on the basis of mean DSR alone. Classification was thus based on a combination of the mean value and the distribution of the scores but in some cases the results were inconclusive. It was possible to classify five lines as having a high level of resistance (Elvira, Honeoye, EM99, EM224, EM255); six lines had a useful level of resistance but did show symptoms on some plants (Cambridge Favourite, Gorella, Pandora, Pantagruella, EM17 and EM290); five lines were highly susceptible (Elsanta, Redgauntlet, Tamella, EM237 and EM319). The remaining 18 lines could not be classified with the same degree of certainty but 10 were probably resistant.     

In vitro techniques for selecting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for Fusarium-resistance. II. Culture filtrate technique and inheritance of Fusarium-resistance in the somaclones

Summary Calli of resistant, intermediary and susceptible wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties were selected using culture filtrates of Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum and the regenerants were evaluated for resistance up to R₃. Czapek-Dox broth medium was inoculated with mycelia of Fusarium isolates and incubated for 2–6 weeks. Filtrates were added to MS callus growing medium, then 5 weeks-old calli were transferred onto this medium (MST) for 4–5 weeks. MST containing 30% filtrate was found to be suitable for selection. Resistant calli were transferred again to fresh MST for further two selection cycles. The surviving calli produced less fertile regenerated lines (R₀) than the non-selected ones. Among 18 R₁ lines tested for Fusarium-resistance in the seedling stage by artificial inoculation in the greenhouse, two (11.1%) were significantly more resistant, one (5.6%) was more susceptible than the original cultivar and the rest (83.3%) behaved similarly to the donor plants. Among unselected R₃ lines of three varieties, practically the same number of resistant plants were found as among the related selected ones. When the R₃ selfed generations obtained through double-layer and culture filtrate selection techniques were tested for Fusarium-resistance, 35.7% of the lines were found to be more resistant than the original cultivars, none was more susceptible and 64.3% had a reaction similar to that of the source materials. Thus, inheritance of the disease reaction was not stable in all cases. Success of in vitro selection for Fusarium-resistance depended also on the genotype, and toxin analysis showed that although being effective, the selective media contained deoxynivalenol only exceptionally. In selecting wheat for Fusarium-resistance in vitro, the culture filtrate technique proved better than the double-layer procedure.