Characterization of the rust resistance gene present in the common bean cultivar Ouro Negro, the main rust resistance source used in Brazil

Abstract

The main goal of the present work was to characterize the rust resistance (RR) gene present in the Mesoamerican common bean cultivar Ouro Negro, temporarily named Ur‐OuroNegro or Ur‐ON, which is the main RR source used in Brazil. The RR spectrum presented by cv. Ouro Negro was compared with those of other bean lines harbouring known RR genes when inoculated with nine selected races of Uromyces appendiculatus, the causal agent of bean rust. In addition, all bean lines were screened with molecular markers linked to Ur‐ON in order to identify additional evidence for the presence of alleles for this locus in the screened RR sources. The allelic relationships of Ur‐ON were tested with previously characterized RR genes from lines resistant to at least one race of the pathogen. Allelism tests were also carried out between cv. Ouro Negro and cvs CNC and CSW 643, important RR sources in Brazil harbouring unnamed RR genes. The results showed that the major dominant gene conditioning RR in cv. Ouro Negro is positioned at a locus distinct from those with which it was compared. It is proposed that this gene – or complex gene locus – is unique and be designated Ur‐14.