The Inheritance of Resistance to Septoria Glume Blotch III. The Wild Wheat Species Aegilops Jongissima

The genetics of resistance to Septoria glume blotch (caused by the pathogen Septoria nodorum Berk.) in the wild wheat species Ae. longissima was investigated. The resistance was characterized by two parameters measured on detached leaves — lesion size (LS) and length of latent period (LP), and by disease severity (DS) under field conditions. Generations F₁, F₂ and F₃, derived from a cross between two Ae. longissima accessions, were analyzed. The two parameters measured on detached leaves (LS and LP) were highly correlated, while DS was moderately correlated to both LS and LP. The mean LS and the mean LP of F₁ generation indicated considerable dominance for resistance in both parameters. The estimates of broad-sense and narrow-sense heritability were moderate for LS and LP (0.21—0.55). Narrow-sense heritability for DS was high (0.77). Estimates of the number of genes controlling each of the parameters (LS, LP, DS) were between 2.5—3.2. It is suggested that the resistance is controlled by three to four quantitative genes with a partial dominance of the alleles for resistance. Indications for genie interaction were found in LS and in LP. A model of inheritance containing complementation between dominant resistance-alleles is suggested. Highly resistant Ae. longissima accessions are recommended as sources of germplasm for improving the resistance of cultivated wheats to Septoria glume blotch. The possibility of using dominant alleles for resistance in hybrid cultivars is discussed.