Greenhouse method for assessing spot blotch resistance in barley

Abstract

New sources of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) resistant to spot blotch, caused by Cochliobolus sativus, are needed to provide effective resistance because of the rapid change pathotype patterns of C. sativus in fields. The purposes of our study were to develop a method to screen barley for resistance to spot blotch disease and then use this methodology to screen barley genotypes for resistance to the major virulent pathotype Pt4 in barley populations in Syria. A transparent tape method, in which a conidial suspension of C. sativus was dropped onto transparent tape and placed, treated-side down, on the second leaf surface of barley plants. Disease symptoms of fungus were easily detected on the leaves covered by the transparent tape after 48h of inoculation. The transparent tape method was repeatable and the disease scores obtained were correlated (r = 0.91, P = 0.001) with those obtained by the seedling assay. This method may be beneficial in various plant pathology breeding programs. © The Korean Society of Plant Pathology.