Potential for Incorporation of Early and Late Leafspot Resistance in Peanut*

A detached leaf technique was used to evaluate components of resistance to both early and late leafspot caused by Cercospora arachidicola Hori and Cercosporidium personatum (Berk, and Curt.) Deighton, respectively, for F₂ plants of two peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) crosses (FESR 5-P2-B1 /PI 269685 and PI 35068Q/GP-NC 343), No negative correlations were obtained when comparing components of resistance to early leafspot with components of resistance to late leafspot, indicating that the resistances are inherited independently. A small number of F₂ plants had greater partial resistance to both leafspots than their parents when evaluated by an index including percent necrotic area, latent period and sporulation. Broad sense heritabilities of resistance components were moderate to high (0.4 to 0.8) for the F₂ populations. A visual sporulation rating scale was significantly correlated (0.8 to 0.9) with conidia per lesion and conidia per necrotic area. The data suggest that peanut cultivars resistant to both leafspots can be developed.