Resistance to Fusarium Wilt Race 2 in the Pisum Core Collection

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Pisum sativum, Fusarium oxysporum , fungal disease ABSTRACT. Plant breeders must be aware of sources of resistance to pathogens that affect their crops. Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schl. f. sp. pisi Snyd. & Hans. is a fungal disease that affects peas and is important worldwide. Resistance to the different races of the pathogen has been identified in adapted germplasm and from specific accessions in the United States World Collection of peas ( Pisum sativum L.). The goal of this study was to evaluate the resistance to fusarium wilt race 2 in the Pisum core collection. Of the 452 accessions screened, 62 (14%) were resistant. The resistant accessions included accessions from P.s. ssp. elatius that were collected from 24 different countries. The wide distribution of resistance around the world precludes the identification of any single country or region as a source of resistance. Of the 62 accessions resistant to race 2, 39 are also resistant to race 1 based on data obtained from GRIN. One of the wild progenitors, PI 344012, possessed resistance to races 1 and 2.