The inheritance of resistance to Puccinia coronata and of floret characters in Avena sterilis

Abstract

The inheritance of resistance to Puccinia coronata, awn development, lemma pubescence, and lemma color were studied in the Avena sterilis accessions CAV 4248, CAV 4656, and CAV 4904. Three independent, partially dominant genes (Pc-64, Pc-65, Pc-66) in CAV 4248, one partially dominant gene (Pc-67) in CAV 4656, and a dominant gene (Pc-68) in CAV 4904 were identified which conferred resistance to P. coronata. Genes Pc-64, Pc-65, Pc-66, Pc-67, and Pc-68 conferred resistance to 13, 8, 6, 12, and 14 races, respectively, of the 14 races of P. coronata tested. Gene Pc-68 conferred resistance to all field isolates of P. coronata collected in Canada in 1981 and was found to be closely linked or allelic to gene Pc-46. Awns and lemma pubescence were inherited monogenically in crosses with all three CAV accessions. Grey lemma color was controlled by one gene in CAV 4248 and by two genes in CAV 4656. Brown lemma color was controlled by one gene, which was closely linked or pleiotropic with the gene for lemma pubescence in CAV 4904. There was no association between crown rust resistance and the three floret characters studied.