ARS | Publication request: BREEDING FOR DURABLE RESISTANCE TO RICE BLAST DISEASE-DREAM OR REALITY? J.M. BONMAN (1) & H. LEUNG (2). (1) USDA-ARS, SMALL GRAINS & POTATO GERMPLASM RESEARCH UNIT, ABERDEEN, ID;(2)INTL RICE RES INSTITUTE, MANILA, PHILLIPINES

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: August 1, 2003
Publication Date: June 1, 2004
Citation: Bonman, J.M., Leung, H. 2004. Breeding for durable resistance to rice blast disease-dream or reality? j.m. bonman (1) & h. leung (2). (1) usda-ars, small grains & potato germplasm research unit, aberdeen, id;(2)intl rice res institute, manila, phillipines. Phytopathology 93:S113. Publication no. P-2003-0110-SSA. American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting.

Technical Abstract: Rice cultivars with durable resistance to blast disease have been identified in certain production environments. In cultivars such as IR36, durability is associated with partial resistance that is quantitatively inherited. Selecting for such resistance has reduced the impact of rice blast in tropical lowland (flooded) rice culture. The level of partial resistance useful for tropical lowland rice, however, is inadequate for more blast-conducive environments. The rice-production environment in China favors blast and the cultivar Sanhuangzhan 2 (SHZ-2) has shown durable resistance there. Using a candidate gene approach, Liu et al. have recently shown that 60% of the variation in partial resistance of SHZ-2 could be accounted for by the presence of 5 candidate defense response (DR) genes. They found that 4-5 effective DR genes enhanced resistance under high disease pressure in the field. Accumulating specific DR alleles could aid in breeding rice with non-race specific blast resistance which would be more likely to prove durable in rice-growing areas favoring disease.