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Evaluation of Tall Fescue Plant Introductions for Resistance to Cochliobolus sativus
Author(s) -
Linscombe S. D.,
Watson C. E.,
Trevathan L. E.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1989.0011183x002900030024x
Subject(s) - biology , cochliobolus sativus , germplasm , festuca arundinacea , agronomy , festuca , resistance (ecology) , horticulture , heritability , cultivar , botany , poaceae , genetics
Cochliobolus sativus (Ito and Kurib.) Drechsl. ex Dastur is a major foliar pathogen of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in the southern USA. Progress in selection for resistance to this pathogen has been slow due to low heritability and low levels of resistance present in adapted germplasm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the world collection of tall fescue plant introductions (PIs) for resistance to C. sativus to identify new sources of germplasm that might have higher levels of resistance. Seedlings of 189 PIs were artificially inoculated with C. sativus in the greenhouse and rated for resistance based on the amount of leaf area covered by lesions in each of 2 yr. There was a significant PI ✕ years interaction resulting from a slightly lower level of disease development in the second year, which had a greater effect on the more susceptible accessions. The most resistant accessions in the collection were almost exclusively of Mediterranean or Asian origin. Only one PI of European origin ranked in the top 35 for resistance to C. sativus . Six of seven Pis identified as having high levels of resistance to C. sativus were of Mediterranean origin. These accessions offer new sources of C. sativus resistant germplasm for tall fescue breeding programs.