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Simon: Pubs: 00tag_0735
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Theor Appl Genet (2000) 100:735-742

P. W. Simon •• W. C. Matthews •• P. A. Roberts

Evidence for simply inherited dominant resistance to Meloidogyne javanica in carrot

Received: 14 June 1999 / Accepted: 7 July 1999

Abstract Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are serious pests of carrot (Daucus carota L.) worldwide. While soil treatment with nematicides is the primary means for managing nematodes in carrot, there is a need to identify and introduce host plant resistance for crop improvement. This study was conducted to determine the inheritance of resistance to root-galling and reproduction by M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood in a selection (BR-1252) of carrot variety Brasilia. F2, F3, F4, and BC1 progenies from the cross BR-1252•-B6274 (a susceptible inbred line) were screened in pot tests for reaction to M. javanica. The observed reactions based on galling and egg production on fibrous roots gave segregation patterns in all tests that were consistent with relatively simply inherited dominant resistance. Field testing in progress indicates that this resistance is very effective against both M. javanica and M. incognita. A single gene model fits the observed data acceptably well in F3 generations. However, the range of 3% to 51% susceptible plants in segregating F3 families and 1% to 47% in segregating F4 families is much wider than the 25% expected with a single-gene model, and linked duplicate factors in the coupling phase could also explain the observed segregation patterns. The variation in percentage susceptibility among these families did not clearly cluster into three expected categories (25% S, 20.25% S, and 0.25% S for a 10-cM linkage distance, or 25% S, 16% S and 1% S for 20 cM), but it did tend to occur over the same range. Thus a 10-cM to 20-cM-linked duplicate factor model cannot be dismissed at this time. Egg production data in the F2, F3, and F4 families provided evidence for slightly lower resistance expression in the heterozygous condition. Thus, while overall expressed in a dominant fashion, the resistance does exhibit some allelic dosage response.

Key wordsCarrot •• Daucus carota L. •• Disease resistance •• Meloidogyne javanica •• Root knot nematodes

Communicated by G. Wenzel

P.W. Simon (envelope)
United Stated Department of Agriculture, Vegetable Crops Research Unit, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Fax: +1-608-262-4723
e-mail: psimon@facstaff.wisc.edu

W. C. Matthews •• P. A. Roberts
Department of Nematology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA