Inheritance of Phytophthora Stem Blight Resistance as Compared to Phytophthora Root Rot and Phytophthora Foliar Blight Resistance in Capsicum annuum L.

Abstract

The pathogen Phytophthora capsici Leon. is known to be a limiting factor of chile pepper (Capsicum L.) production around the world. The genetics of the resistance is becoming better understood due to the specific nature of the host-pathogen interaction, i.e., all plant organs are subject to infection. It has been shown that phytophthora root rot resistance and phytophthora foliar blight resistance are under different genetic mechanisms. This study aimed at understanding the inheritance of resistance of phytophthora stem blight and to determine whether phytophthora stem blight was the same disease syndrome as phytophthora root rot and phytophthora foliar blight. Stem cuttings of a segregating F2 population and testcross progeny facilitated the ability to screen for two disease syndromes concurrently. When the three disease syndromes were compared separately, the F2 populations fit a 3 resistant (R): 1 susceptible (S) ratio and the testcross progenies fit a 1R:1S ratio. When comparative studies were performed (stem vs. foliar and stem vs. root), the F2 populations fit a 9R/R:3R/S:3S/R:1S/S ratio and the testcross fit a 1R/R:1R/S:1S/R:1S/S ratio. These ratios are consistent of a single gene controlling the resistance of each system. Therefore, phytophthora stem blight, root rot, and foliar blight are three separate disease syndromes.