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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #86710
Title: CONSTITUTIVELY-EXPRESSED CHITINASES IN BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL AND RELATIONSHIP TO RHIZOCTONIA RESISTANCE

Author
item ROBERTS, CRAIG - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item KARR, ARTHUR - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item Beuselinck, Paul
item SHAFFER, WILLIAM - UNIV OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Broadleafed birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) is a non-bloating, highly nutritional pasture legume. However, it is susceptible to a wide range of fungal pathogens. Recent data suggest that new rhizomatous hybrids may possess increased disease resistance because they constitutively express several chitinase isoforms. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between chitinases and resistance to Rhizoctonia solani. Three populations of birdsfoot trefoil, each represented by 30 replicated genotypes, were inoculated with R. solani and grown under a mistbed for 3 weeks. Plants were rated for susceptibility to R. solani and analyzed for chitinase activity using SDS-PAGE. All genotypes that contained no detectable chitinase died; all were non-rhizomatous. About half of the genotypes expressing chitinolytic isozymes exhibited fewer symptoms of infection.