Abstract
Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) is an ancient grain legume used as animal feed in the Mediterranean basin. This legume has a large economical potential because of its high yield under low inputs and good protein content, as well as resistance to cold and drought. Nevertheless, its growth and production area are affected in the presence of the broomrape weed species Orobanche crenata. Due to the small bitter vetch size, infection by as few as two or three O. crenata per vetch plant can be devastating. There are no efficient methods of selectively controlling O. crenata in this crop, for which reason the development of varieties resistant and tolerant to O. crenata infection is needed. Phytogenetic resources are valuable reserves for species survival. They represent important genetic variability and allow the possibility of finding characters of interest, such as new resistance sources. A large-scale field screening of a collection of 102 bitter vetch accessions indicated that most bitter vetch accessions were susceptible but allowed us to select 16 accessions with low levels of O. crenata infection. Next, we used a combination of field and rhizotron experiments to investigate the resistant response of selected bitter vetch genotypes in detail by studying the performance and resistance mechanisms. These experiments led to the identification of three different mechanisms that block O. crenata parasitism. A pre-attachment mechanism of low induction of O.crenata germination was identified in two bitter vetch accession Ve.055 and Ve.155. In addition, a post-attachment mechanism of resistance to O. crenata penetration was identified inthe accession Ve.125. In addition, the field-resistant accession Ve.123 showed susceptible response in rhizotron, indicating that a late mechanism acting after vascular connection, most probably related with bitter vetch of escape due to fructification precocity was acting against O. crenata development.
Highlights
A major problem in Europe is the lack of protein for feeding animals
The aim of this study was to examine a collection of 102 bitter vetch accessions and to identify bitter vetch genotypes that are resistant to O. crenata infection using a combination of field and rhizotron experiments
The results showed a high correlation among bitter vetch growing degree-days (GDD) to flowering and the three O. crenata parameters considered: broomrape emergence per bitter vetch plant (0.87), cumulative broomrape dry matter per bitter vetch plant (0.88) and the relative parasitic weight (0.87) (p < 0.05), indicating a direct relationship between host precocity and low parasitic infection
Summary
Almost 63% of the needed protein must be imported and about 48% of the total protein used is soybean [1] To this problem one must add the market price instability of this raw material, this being the main limiting factor for livestock farming. The availability and price of feedstock, normally soybean, are the main issues which determinate future animal feeding in a global market [2]. For these reasons other alternative crops well-adapted to the prevailing agro-climatic conditions and presenting high protein contents are needed for sustainable feeding.
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