Resistance in Paspalum dilatatum to Ascochyta paspali

Abstract

Twenty-two accessions of Paspalum dialatatum Poir from Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Natal and Uruguay, an Australian commercial line and I1 Australian ecotypes were screened for resistance to Ascochyta paspali. Disease incidence ranged from 0 to 81%. Purple anthered plants which included 11 Australian ecotypes were all susceptible, but 2 accessions were more resistant than the local commercial line. All except 1 of the yellow anthered accessions were highly resistant, but the one considered to be susceptible was more resistant to disease than the purple anthered accessions. A. paspali was re-isolated from symptomless yellow anthered accessions indicating that limited colonisation had occurred. The yellow anthered character appeared to be a useful indicator of resistance to A. paspali.