Identification of segregation-distortion-neutral alleles to improve pollen fertility of indica-japonica hybrids in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The genetics of resistance to Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta fabae f. sp. fabae) was studied in two populations of faba bean (Vicia faba). Plants of a resistant population, ILB 752, and a susceptible one, NEB 463, were screened for their reaction to the pathogen and the results were quantified on a scale of 0–5. Crosses were made between plants both within and between accessions and the F₁ and F₂ generations assessed in a field trial 21 and 45 days after inoculation. Disease scores were greater at 45 days than at 21 days and they were not significantly affected by the presence of susceptible spreader rows in part of the trial. ILB 752 carried a major dominant gene conferring resistance while NEB 463 carried the recessive allele for susceptibility. Furthermore, a minority of plants of NEB 463 appeared to carry at least one pair of complementary recessive genes, also conferring resistance. Most of the plants of ILB 752 were homozygous for the dominant resistance gene and a few were heterozygous. Reciprocal crosses behaved identically, indicating the absence of maternal effects in the expression of Ascochyta blight resistance in faba beans. The results show that it is important to confirm the level of heterozygosity for the resistance genes in this partially outbreeding species before crossing is commenced. The major dominant gene for resistance, identified in ILB 752, has clear potential for use in breeding for Ascochyta blight resistance. The minor genes identified in NEB 463 also show the potential for accumulating resistance through mass selection. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetics of resistance to ascochyta blight in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Summary Six chickpea lines resistant to Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Lab. were crossed to four susceptible cultivars. The hybrids were resistant in all the crosses except the crosses where resistant line BRG 8 was involved. Segregation pattern for diseases reaction in F₂, BCP₁, BCP₂ and F₃ generations in field and glasshouse conditions revealed that resistance to Ascochyta blight is under the control of a single dominant gene in EC 26446, PG 82-1, P 919, P 1252-1 and NEC 2451 while a recessive gene is responsible in BRG 8. Allelic tests indicated the presence of three independently segregating genes for resistance; one dominant gene in P 1215-1 and one in EC 26446 and PG 82-1, and a recessive one in BRG 8.Research paper No. 3600     

Screening faba beans for resistance to Ascochyta fabae by artificial inoculation of seedlings

Summary A method was developed for screening faba bean seedlings for resistance to Ascochyta fabae. Several factors were investigated, including amount and concentration of inoculum, period of high humidity and age of leaves. Seedlings of different cultivars were tested and results compared with available field data. Older leaves proved to be less susceptible than younger leaves. Seedling tests reflected differences in resistance in the field, especially in material uniform in growth habit.     

Faba bean breeding for resistance against biotic stresses: Towards application of marker technology

Summary Faba beans are adversely affected by numerous fungal diseases leading to a steady reduction in the cultivated area in many countries. Major diseases such as Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta fabae), rust (Uromyces viciae-fabae), chocolate spot (Botrytis fabae), downy mildew (Peornospora viciae) and foot rots (Fusarium spp.) are considered to be the major constraints to the crop. Importantly, broomrape (Orobanche crenata), a very aggressive parasitic angiosperm, is the most damaging and widespread enemy along the Mediterranean basin and Northern Africa. Recent mapping studies have allowed the identification of genes and QTLs controlling resistance to some of these diseases. In case of broomrape, 3 QTLs explained more than 70% of the phenotypic variance of the trait. Concerning Ascochyta, two QTLs located in chromosomes 2 and 3 explained 45% of variation. A second population sharing the susceptible parental line also revealed two QTLs, one of them likely sharing chromosomal location and jointly contributing with a similar percentage of the total phenotypic variance. Finally, several RAPD markers linked to a gene determining hypersensitive resistance to race 1 of the rust fungus U. viciae-fabae have also been reported. The aim of this paper is to review the state of the art of gene technology for genetic improvement of faba bean against several important biotic stresses. Special emphasis is given on the application of marker technology, and Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) analysis for Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) in the species. Finally, the potential use of genomic tools to facilitate breeding in the species is discussed. The combined approach should expedite the future development of lines and cultivars with multiple disease resistance, one of the top priorities in faba bean research programs.     

Inheritance of resistance to angular leaf spot (Isariopsis griseola Sacc.) in french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Summary Angular leaf spot (Isariopsis griseola Sacc.) is a serious disease of French bean in the hills of India and 40 to 70 per cent of the green pods are damaged and rendered unmarketable. Crosses were made between PLB 257, (Phaseolus coccineus L.), a red flowering pole tope, resistant to angular leaf spot, and Contender (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a highly susceptible commercial cultivar. Studies of the F₁, F₂, and F₃ progenies indicated that PLB 257, carries a recessive gene imparting resistance to angular leaf spot.     

Screening techniques and sources of resistance to foliar diseases caused by major necrotrophic fungi in grain legumes

Summary Necrotrophic pathogens of the cool season food legumes (pea, lentil, chickpea, faba bean and lupin) cause wide spread disease and severe crop losses throughout the world. Environmental conditions play an important role in the development and spread of these diseases. Form of inoculum, inoculum concentration and physiological plant growth stage all affect the degree of infection and the amount of crop loss. Measures to control these diseases have relied on identification of resistant germplasm and development of resistant varieties through screening in the field and in controlled environments. Procedures for screening and scoring germplasm and breeding lines for resistance have lacked uniformity among the various programs worldwide. However, this review highlights the most consistent screening and scoring procedures that are simple to use and provide reliable results. Sources of resistance to the major necrotrophic fungi are summarized for each of the cool season food legumes. Marker-assisted selection is underway for Ascochyta blight of pea, lentil and chickpea, and Phomopsis blight of lupin. Other measures such as fungicidal control and cultural control are also reviewed. The emerging genomic information on the model legume, Medicago truncatula, which has various degrees of genetic synteny with the cool season food legumes, has promise for identification of closely linked markers for resistance genes and possibly for eventual map-based cloning of resistance genes. Durable resistance to the necrotrophic pathogens is a common goal of cool season food legume breeders.     

Two host genes in Vicia faba for nodulation deficiency with strain specificity for Rhizobium leguminosarum

In greenhouse tests, two inbred lines of faba bean, I 40 and I 25, proved to be nodulation resistant and F₂ progenies were used to determine the genetic control of this nodulation deficiency. The defect is strain-specific for the Rhizobium strains St 48 and St 53. In inbred line I 40, the deficient nodulation character is controlled by a dominant gene which is called Sym-2, while another recessive gene sym-3 is assumed for line I 25; Sym-2 is epistatic over sym-3.     

A major QTL for common bacterial blight resistance derives from the common bean great northern landrace cultivar Montana No.5

Knowledge of the evolutionary origin and sources of pest resistance genes will facilitate gene deployment and development of crop cultivars with durable resistance. Our objective was to determine the source of common bacterial blight (CBB) resistance in the common bean Great Northern Nebraska #1 (GN#1) and GN#1 Selection 27 (GN#1 Sel 27). Several great northern cultivars including GN#1, GN#1 Sel 27, and Montana No.5 (the female parent of the common x tepary bean interspecific population from which GN #1 and GN # 1 Sel 27 were derived) and known susceptible checks were evaluated for CBB reaction in field and greenhouse environments. These genotypes and CBB resistant and susceptible tepary bean including Tepary #4, the male parent and presumed contributor of CBB resistance toGN#1 and GN#1 Sel 27, were assayed for presence or absence of three SCAR markers tightly linked with independent QTLs conditioning CBB resistance. The parents and F₂ of Montana No. 5/GN #1 Sel 27 and Montana No.5/Othello(CBB susceptible) were screened for CBB reaction and SCAR markers. CBB resistance in Montana No.5 was comparable to that of GN#1 and GN#1 Sel27. The SAP6 SCAR marker present in GN#1 and GN#1 Sel 27 was also present in Montana No.5, and it co-segregated (R ² =35%) with the CBB resistance in the Montana No.5/Othello F₂ population. Although a few CBB resistant and susceptible transgressive segregants were found in the F₂ of MontanaNo.5/GN #1 Sel 27 and later confirmed by F₃ progeny tests, SAP6 SCAR marker was present in all progenies. None of the tepary bean specific CBB resistance-linked SCAR markers were present in GN#1, GN#1 Sel 27, or Montana No.5. A cluster analysis of 169 polymorphic PCR-based markers across three common bean and Tepary #4 indicated that GN#1, GN#1 Sel 27, and Montana No.5 were closely related, and not related at all with Tepary #4.Thus, these results clearly indicate Montana No.5, not Tepary #4, as the source of CBB resistance in GN#1 and GN#1 Sel 27. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetics of resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumber mosaic virus</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis sativus</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">hardwickii</Emphasis> R. Alef

The genetics of resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii R. Alef, the wild progenitor of cultivated cucumber was assessed by challenge inoculation and by natural infection of CMV. Among the 31 genotypes of C. sativus var. hardwickii collected from 21 locations in India the lowest mean percent disease intensity (PDI) was recorded in IC-277048 (6.33%) while the highest PDI was observed in IC-331631 (75.33%). All the four cultivated varieties (DC-1, DC-2, CHC-1 and CHC-2) showed very high PDI and susceptible disease reaction. Based on mean PDI, 8 genotypes were categorized as resistant, 13 as moderately resistant, 9 as moderately susceptible and one as susceptible. A chi-square test of frequency distribution based on mean PDI in F₂ progenies of six resistant × susceptible crosses revealed monogenic recessive Mendelian ratio 1(R):3(S) to be the best fit. This monogenic recessive model was further confirmed by 1(R):1(S) ratio as the best fit for back cross with resistant parent and no fit for either 3:1 or 1:1 in the back cross with the susceptible parent. The results revealed that CMV resistance in C. sativus var. hardwickii was controlled by a single recessive gene. Considering the cross compatibility between C. sativus var. hardwickii and cultivated cucumber, the resistance trait can be easily transferred to cultivated species through simple backcross breeding.     

Combining ability analysis of resistance to Helminthosporium leaf blight in spring wheat

Wheat breeders in South Asia are attempting to develop wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars resistant to Helminthosporium leaf blight (HLB), which occurs mainly as a complex of spot blotch caused by Cochliobolus sativus (Ito & Kuribayashi) Drechs. ex Dastur, and tan spot caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechs. Information on the combining ability for HLB resistance in wheat cultivars of South Asia is not available. This study was undertaken to examine the resistance to HLB in nine genetically diverse wheat parents, and to evaluate their general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects toward determining the genetic basis of disease resistance. Nine parents were crossed in a half-diallel mating design to produce 36 populations. The F₁ and F₂ progenies, and the parents were evaluated in replicated field tests at Rampur, Nepal. Multiple disease scores were recorded, and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated to measure disease severity over time. The combining ability analysis was performed using Griffing's Method 2, Model 1. The parents chosen showed wide variation for resistance to HLB. They and the F₁ and F₂ progenies differed significantly for AUDPC. GCA and SCA effects were significant in both generations suggesting that additive as well as non-additive genetic mechanisms were involved in the expression of resistance in these parents. Wheat genotypes 'SW89-5422', 'G 162', 'NL 781'and 'Chirya 7' had significantly negative GCA effects for AUDPC in both F₁ and F₂ generations, suggesting their prime suitability for use in wheat breeding programs to improve resistance to HLB. The estimate of narrow-sense heritability was 0.77 in both generations suggesting that selection for HLB resistance should be effective in these crosses. The results indicate a predominance of additive gene action in the inheritance of HLB resistance in spring wheat.     

Inheritance of resistance to Acanthoscelides obtectus in a wild common bean accession crossed to commercial bean cultivars

Summary The bean weevil Acanthoscelides obtectus, is an important storage pest of common beans in Latin America and Africa. A few wild bean accessions from Mexico have been identified as highly resistant to the weevil. One accession, G 12952, was crossed to two susceptible bean cultivars differing in seed size. Reciprocal F1 and F2 individual seed were evaluated for days to adult emergence (DAE) and emerged adult weight. Maternally inherited seed size affected resistance measurements only in the F1 reciprocal crosses, however, the overall resistance level of the F1 was more similar to that of the susceptible cultivars. The F2 showed a continuous, but skewed distribution from low to high DAE. Very few F2 individuals had the resistance level of G 12952. When the frequency distributions were divided into discrete categories based on parental response, resistance was found to be inherited as two recessive complementary genes. The F3 generation showed an overall lowering of resistance levels compared to their original F2 evaluations. However, none of the lines classified as resistant (50 DAE) in the F2, fell into the susceptible category in the F3, indicating that the resistant genotypes were relatively stable as expected with recessively inherited traits. Modifying genes from the commercial parents may be responsible for general lowering of resistance. Seed size was negatively correlated with adult weight but not with DAE. The unique resistance of the wild bean accessions is discussed in relation to its inheritance. The results and obstacles encountered in the A. obtectus breeding program at CIAT are described.     

Genetical analysis of resistance to Mycosphaerella pinodes in pea seedlings

Summary In studies of the inheritance of resistance, pea seedlings of seven lines in which stems and leaves were both resistant to Mycosphaerella pinodes were crossed with a line in which they were both susceptible. With seven of the crosses resistance was dominant to susceptibility. When F₂ progenies of five crosses were inoculated on either stems or leaves independently, phenotypes segregated in a ratio of 3 resistant: 1 susceptible indicating that a single dominant gene controlled resistance. F₂ progenies of one other cross gave ratios with a better fit to 9 resistant: 7 susceptible indicating that two co-dominant genes controlled resistance. The F₂ progeny of another cross segregated in complex ratios indicating multigene resistance.When resistant lines JI 97 and JI 1089 were crossed with a susceptible line and leaves and stems of each F₂ plant were inoculated, resistance phenotypes segregated independently demonstrating that leaf and stem resistance were controlled by different genes. In two experiments where the F₂ progeny of the cross JI 97×JI 1089 were tested for stem and leaf resistance separately, both characters segregated in a ratio of 15 resistant:1 susceptible indicating that these two resistant lines contain two non-allelic genes for stem resistance (designated Rmp1 and Rmp2) and two for leaf resistance (designated Rmp3 and Rmp4). Evidence that the gene for leaf resistance in JI 1089 is located in linkage group 4 of Pisum sativum is presented.     

Resistance to powdery mildew in selections from Moroccan barley landraces

Seventy-five barley landraces from Morocco were tested for resistance to powdery mildew and a number of different resistance genes were detected. Thirty-five isolates of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei and the Pallas isoline differential set were used. Isolates used in the experiment had virulences corresponding to all major resistance genes used in Europe. Forty-four of the tested landraces showed resistant reactions. From each of these landraces, one to five resistant plants were selected and 92 single plant lines were created. Six lines selected from 3landraces were assumed to carry the mlo gene but they were discarded after microscopic investigation. Seventeen lines were tested in the seedling stage with 17isolates and another 69 lines were tested with 23 differential isolates. These lines showed 71 reaction spectra to isolates of powdery mildew. Eight lines (9%), 255-3-3, 282-3-4, 286-1-1, 294-2-3,294-2-4, 295-1-2, 308-1-2 and 327-2-1, selected from 7 landraces showed resistance to all isolates. Seventy-eight lines (90%) showed a resistant infection type 2with more than 50% of the isolates used. In most of the selected lines (86%) unknown genes, alone or in combination with known specific resistance genes, were detected. Four different resistance alleles (Mlat, Mla6, Mla14 and Mla1) were postulated to be present in the tested lines. The most common was Mlat, which was postulated in 35 (41%) lines. The use of newly identified sources of powdery mildew resistance in barley breeding is discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inheritance of resistance to bacterial blight disease of rice

Summary Inheritance of resistance to the Punjab isolate of Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae of bacterial blight disease of rice was studied in seven breeding lines resistant to the disease. The results revealed that resistance in breeding lines PAU 122-73-1-4-1, PAU 164-102-1-2-1-1-1, KJT 24, IR 5657-33-2-1-2 and IR 22082-41-2-2 was controlled by single dominant genes allelic to the dominant gene which confers resistance to the Punjab isolate in Patong 32. Resistance to the Punjab isolate in breeding lines IET 7172 and RP 2151-40-1 was found to be controlled by single recessive resistance genes allelic to one of the recessive resistance genes present in BJ 1. The two genes are independently inherited and are being used to develop bacterial blight resistant varieties.     

Inheritance of resistance to whitebacked planthopper,Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) in some rice cultivars

Summary The genetics of resistance to whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) in ten resistant cultivars was studied. The reactions of the F₁, F₂ and F₃ populations of resistant varieties with Taichung Native 1, a suspectible check, showed that WBPH resistance is monogenic in nature and governed by dominant gene(s) in Ptb 19 and IET 6288 and recessive gene in eight cultivars viz. ARC 5838, ARC 6579, ARC 6624, ARC 10464, ACR 11321, ARC 11320, Balamawee and IR 2415-90-4-3. Allelic relationship of resistance gene(s) in the test cultivars revealed recessive gene in IR 2415-90-4-3, ARC 5838 and ARC 11324 to be allelic but it was non allelic to the resistance gene in ARC 6624. Cultivars ARC 6579, ARC 11321 and Balamawee have identical gene among themselves but their relationship with IR 2415-90-4-3, ARC 5838, ARC 11324 and ARC 6624 is unknown. The recessive gene in ARC 10464 is non-identical to all other cultivars having the recessive gene except ARC 6624 with which its relationship needs further investigation.     

Diallel analysis of resistance to Septoria tritici isolates in durum wheat

Summary All crosses, except for reciprocals, were made among ten cultivars originating from crop improvement programs in North Africa and the Middle East. The entries varied widely in reaction to Septoria tritici. F₁ and F₂ progenies of the crosses were evaluated using eight S. tritici isolates from seven countries in the Mediterranean area. Thus, sixteen separate combining ability analyses were excecuted. General combining ability (GCA) was the major component of variation, although specific combining ability (SCA) was present in most cases. Additive variance thus appears to be of predominant importance. Nevertheless, non-additive variance may interfere when line selection in a breeding program is practiced. While differing greatly among cultivars, specific GCA effects for each cultivar separately were of similar magnitude for all isolates. Ranking statistics determined that cultivars were ranked in similar order for both means and specific GCA effects independent of the isolate used. Different isolates may therefore interact with similar or identical genetically controlled mechanisms in a particular cultivar. This could indicate the absence of differential gene-for-gene relationships and suggests that isolates vary in aggressiveness rather than in virulence.     

Genetics of host reactions to three races of the bacterial pustule pathogen in cowpea

Summary Inheritance of the brown hypersensitive resistant (BHR), non-hypersensitive resistant (R) and susceptible (S) host reactions produced by three races of the bacterial pustule pathogen (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vignaeunguiculatae) was studied in 45 F₁, F₂ and testcross progenies, using the infiltration inoculation method BHR reaction was dominant over R and S reactions, and R was recessive to S reaction. Two genes appeared to be involved in BHR reaction; one governing BHR reaction to race 1 and the other to races 1 and 2. Both were ineffective against race 3. R reaction, effective against all the races, appeared to be controlled by one, two or three recessive genes. One cowpea line had one BHR gene and two duplicate recessive R genes. Reaction expression in the segregants was clear and as expected with races 2 and 3 but was modified with race 1, possibly due to interactions between dominant or recessive alleles of the BHR genes and the homozygous recessive allele of the R genes. Gene symbols Bp-1 and Bp-2 are proposed for the BHR genes and bp-3, bp-4 and bp-5 for the recessive R genes. The genes present in each of the differential cowpea line are suggested.Contribution from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria and Crop Development Division, Ministry of Agriculture, P.O. Box 9071, Dar es Salaam Tanzania.     

Resistance of Coffea arabica cv. Ruiru 11 tested with different isolates of Colletotrichum kahawae, the causal agent of coffee berry disease

Seven single conidia isolates of Colletotrichum kahawae varying in pathogenicity were used to inoculate hybrid progenies from 66 crosses ofCoffea arabica cv. Ruiru 11. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of pathogen variation on resistance of the Ruiru 11 cultivar. The main effects of crosses and isolates were significant (p ≤0.05) while their interaction effects were non-significant. Partitioning variance components indicated that the proportion of phenotypic variance for resistance that is due to genetic effects was low. It was concluded that variation for resistance among hybrid progenies of the Ruiru 11 cultivar was probably due to differences in aggressiveness of the pathogen as reflected by the significant main effects of crosses and isolates in combination with other environmental factors which influence disease epidemics. The coffee berry disease pathogen is unlikely to have adapted to the cultivar because of the non-significant crosses × isolates interaction effects. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Breeding for resistance to fusarium oxysporumF. SP. tulipae in tulip (tulipaL.).2. phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of cultivars

Summary Fusarium bulb rot is a serious tulip disease. Breeding for resistance may contribute considerably to a solution of the problem.It has been demonstrated that juvenile and adult bulbs of the same cultivars in Fusarium contaminated soil showed good agreement in degree of resistance.From an incomplete diallel cross of these cultivars second-year bulblets of 62 progenies were planted in both contaminated and non-contaminated soil. The percentages of non-diseased bulbs harvested provided a criterion for resistance. The analysis of combining ability for the degree of resistance revealed that both the mean square of GCA and that of SCA were significant. The relative magnitudes of the GCA and SCA mean squares suggest that resistance is governed primarily by additive gene action. The GCA of individual parents could be estimated and tested. In general it corresponded with their phenotypic behaviour.     

Linkage of dominant hypersensitive resistance to bean common mosaic virus to seed color in Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Summary Evaluation of Phaseolus vulgaris germplasm bank materials and progenies from a large number of crosses using red- or yellow-colored, BCMV-susceptible bean lines, crossed to purple- or grey/brown-colored, hypersensitive-resistant lines, suggested strong trait association between seed color and BCMV resistance. The cross of red-mottled I⁺I⁺ (susceptible) BAT 1255R to isogenic purple-mottled II (resistant) BAT 1255M was made to study the segregation of the two characters and to recover red-mottled resistant progenies. No recombinant genotypes were observed among 353 F₃ families inoculated with BCMV-NL3, suggesting that linkage of purple-mottled seed color and dominant BCMV resistance is very close.Contribution of the Centro Internacional de Agricultural Tropical.