Sources of Partial Resistance to Fusarium Root Rot in the Pisum Core Collection

Fusarium root rot, caused by Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi, is one of the most important fungal diseases of pea and is found in most pea-growing areas around the world. Currently, no commercial cultivars are resistant to this pathogen. Availability of new sources of partial resistance could provide another tool for managing Fusarium root rot. In all, 387 accessions from the Pisum core collection were evaluated for resistance to Fusarium root rot in two independent experiments. Nonparametric analysis of variance conducted on ranks of disease severity for each accession indicated that the two experiments corresponded well. Forty-four plant introduction lines with a disease severity rating of 2.5 or less on a 0-to-5 scale (where 5 = completely rotted) were selected as being partially resistant to root rot. Immunity to Fusarium root rot was not found. Comparison of disease resistance data for Aphanomyces root rot and Fusarium root rot showed a weak, but significant and positive correlation. A complete listing of the data for the partial resistance of all accessions tested can be found at the National Plant Germplasm System website, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.