Resistance to Verticillium albo-atrum in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) to distinguish between varieties

• Published in: Euphytica Vol. 153; no. 1-2; pp. 227 - 232
• Main Authors: Molinéro-Demilly, V, Montegano, B, Julier, B, Giroult, C, Baudouin, P, Chosson, J.F, Bayle, B, Noël, D, Guénard, M, Gensollen, V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural sciences; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Alfalfa; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; cultivar identification; Cultivars; disease resistance; Distinction-Uniformity-Stability testing; DUS testing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; germplasm; germplasm evaluation; germplasm screening; Life Sciences; Medicago sativa; Pest resistance; Resistance to control; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; varieties; variety identification; Verticillium albo-atrum; Verticillium wilt; France; Stability; Plant pathogen; Medicago sativa; Verticillium albo-atrum; Resistance test, Verticillium albo-atrum; Fungi; Resistance; Leguminosae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Genetic improvement; Distinction-Uniformity-Stability; Spermatophyta; Medicago saliva; Fungi Imperfecti; Fodder crop; Lucerne; Uniformity; Thallophyta; LUCERNE; VERTICILLIUM ALBO-ATRUM; DISTINCTION-UNIFORMITY-STABILITY; DUS; RESISTANCE TEST; DISTINCTION DE VARIETES
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1007/s10681-006-9258-5

France is responsible for DUS (Distinction-Uniformity-Stability) testing of new varieties of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) for several European countries. Many varieties fail to be registered because of a lack of distinctness from the already registered varieties. The addition of the other traits such as disease or pest resistance could help in distinction. The aim of the present study was to optimize measurement of the resistance of lucerne to Verticillium albo-atrum. Although the resistance to V. albo-atrum is a qualitative trait for each plant, varietal resistance is a continuous variable because each variety contains a variable percentage of resistant plants. Fifty cultivars were tested for V. albo-atrum in two laboratories at random from among five private and public laboratories. Five check varieties were tested in the five laboratories in two tests. A score of resistance, corrected from the effect of the test, was given for each cultivar. A method to validate any new test is proposed. This data set can now be incremented by the resistance scores to V. albo-atrum of new varieties. It will help in distinguishing between lucerne varieties.