Disease response of some barley genotypes to loose smut

Authors: M.A.AL-Hamdany, I.A. AL-Dulaimi, M.M.Salih and A.K. al-taii

Citation: 1992.  Basrah J. Agric. Sci., 5(2): 215-222.

Abstract:

          Disease response of six barley cultivars and seven mutants to loose smut was investigated throughout the artificial inoculation of florets by dry teliospores of Ustilago nuda under field conditions. Data of embryos containing hyphae of the pathogen revealed the susceptibility of Numar, Arivat, Charlestown and G.A. 3694, while Compana and Natans have tendency to arrest the growth and development of the fungal hyphae in the embryos. The mutants showed susceptible reactions with considerable variations between Numar and its mutants with Arivat and its mutants. In Compana and Natans in which 2.6 and 4.4% of their embryos contained hyphae, none of them produced any infected spike in the field. Thus both cultivars will be used in a breeding programme for loose smut resistance.  However, the reaction of Compana and Natans with U. nuda could be expressing the occurrence of Race 1 in our culture.                                

Key words: Barley, Loose smut, Disease resistance