Connection between Nutrient Content and Resistance to Selected Pests Analyzed in Brassicaceae Hybrids

Abstract

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L. ssp. oleifera Metzg) is attacked by a wide range of pests. Breeding of resistant cultivars is one of the best methods of protecting crops against insects, and non-cultivated species of Brassicaceae can be used as resistance donors. In this study, we investigated the relationship between nutrient content and resistance to two commonly occurring pests (Delia radicum and Brevicoryne brassicae) in 12 Brassicaceae hybrid combinations. The experiment was conducted at Poznań University of Life Sciences Experimental Station located in Dłoń. The assessment was carried out for three years (2017, 2018, and 2019) on randomly chosen individuals in two growth stages: vegetative stage and flowering stage. The resistance to B. brassicae and D. radicum was observed in all three years, however, macronutrient and micronutrient contents as well as total nitrogen, total sulfur, and sulfur sulfate were observed only in 2019. Statistically significant negative association between Ca and resistance to B. brassicae and D. radicum was discovered. Additionally, positive association between Cu and resistance to B. brassicae was observed. The importance of selected mineral elements in plant resistance is widely discussed.