Diverse modes of gene action contribute to heterosis for quantitative disease resistance in maize

Disease resistance in plants can be conferred by single genes of large effect or by multiple genes each conferring incomplete resistance. The latter case, termed quantitative resistance, may be difficult for pathogens to overcome through evolution due to the low selection pressures exerted by the actions of any single gene and, for some diseases, is the only identified source of genetic resistance. We evaluated quantitative resistance to 2 diseases of maize in a biparental mapping population as well as backcrosses to both parents. Quantitative trait locus analysis shows that the genetic architecture of resistance to these diseases is characterized by several modes of gene action including additivity as well as dominance, overdominance, and epistasis. Heterosis or hybrid vigor, the improved performance of a hybrid compared with its parents, can be caused by nonadditive gene action and is fundamental to the breeding of several crops including maize. In the backcross populations and a diverse set of maize hybrids, we find heterosis for resistance in many cases and that the degree of heterosis appears to be dependent on both hybrid genotype and disease.