Variation in, and inheritance of seedling and adult-plant resistance in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) to leaf scorch (Kabatiella caulivora) (Kirch.) Karak

Abstract

The disease reaction of seedlings (2 weeks old) from a field collection of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) to clover scorch (Kabatiella caulivora (Kirch.) Karak), revealed 89 immune plants out of a total of 1530. However, with adult plants (15-16 weeks old) only one plant remained immune. In the F2 population of the cross of the cultivars (Daliak X Woogenellup (D X W), seedling resistance was conditioned by a single dominant gene and in the cross (Enfield X Woogenellup) (EX W) by a single recessive gene. However, with adult plants, resistance in the (D X W) F2 was conditioned by a single recessive gene and that in the (EX W) F2 by two recessive genes. The effect of increasing age in reducing the proportion of plants resistant to clover scorch in both studies indicates that caution is needed in evaluating resistance to clover scorch in epidemiological, breeding and genetic studies.