Incidence of Pyrenophora avenae Ito et Kurib. in Europe between 1994-1998, and the varietal reaction of oats to it

Abstract

In Europe in the period 1994–1998, Helminthosporium leaf blotch disease was recorded in Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia and Yugoslavia. There was large variation in the quantitative reaction of oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes to this disease, ranging from a disease resistance index (DRI) of 71 with cv. Kasadra to 16 with cv. Pan. Oat genotypes such as Kasadra, Pc 60, Pc 61, IL 86-6404, IL 86-1158, Rodney M, Pg 15, Cc 4761, Vermiou, Roxton, IL 85-6467, IL 85-2069, Pc 54-2, Orlando, OM 1387, Pc 59, KR 3813/73, IL 86-4189, Pc 68, Melys, OA 503-1, KR 288/73L/569, POB 1429/93, Pg l6, Pc 55 and Pc 56 had a consistently high disease resistance index. On the other hand, some had a low index which confirms the existence of pathogenic specialization of the causal fungus Pyrenophora avenae Ito et Kurib. Despite the absence of detailed analyses of the reaction of oats to the pathogen, it seems feasible to breed for resistance to the disease.