Articles
FIELD SCREENING OF ASPARAGUS FOR TOLERANCE TO PHYTOPHTHORA ROT
No asparagus cultivars are resistant to the disease and disease control is mainly achieved by using the fungicide metalaxyl.
A two-step procedure to identify resistance to Phytophthora rot under field conditions is described: Firstly, the procedure identifies sources of tolerance by comparing yields from plots of breeding lines in which Phytophthora rot has been controlled with those in which the disease is not controlled.
Secondly, tolerance is verified in a disease nursery in which the soil has been uniformly inoculated with a number of Phytophthora isolates.
This procedure enables rapid identification of asparagus hybrids that have improved levels of tolerance to Phytophthora rot.
By reference to quality and yield data collected on these hybrids in the breeding line trials. Phytophthora-tolerant hybrids can be rapidly developed that also have high yield and quality.