Location: Sunflower Improvement Research
Project Number: 3060-21220-034-012-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2021
End Date: Dec 31, 2025
Objective:
1. To genetically characterize the Sclerotinia resistance present in canola line PI 649136 by developing and studying a biparental mapping population; 2. To evaluate the disease reaction of 10 elite plant introductions using multiple Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates; and 3. To transfer the Sclerotinia resistance present in canola lines PI 436554 and NEP63 into modern canola breeding lines.
Approach:
The first objective will be accomplished by developing and evaluating a doubled haploid biparental mapping population for its reaction to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and to identify quantitative trait loci associated with resistance to the disease. Resistant lines from this population will be identified as candidates to initiate transfer of resistance into modern canola lines. For the second objective, elite resistant plant introductions will be ranked for their reaction to multiple S. sclerotiorum isolates. Lines will be ranked according to the levels of resistance observed with sources having the broadest and more effective resistance being at the top of the ranking. This ranking list will be used to determine which lines are evaluated in subsequent projects. For the third objective, a backcrossing program combined with inoculation screenings will be established to transfer Sclerotinia resistance observed in highly homozygous lines developed in two mapping populations recently evaluated by our program.
