New rust resistance specificities associated with recombination in the Rp1 complex in maize

We address the question of whether genetic reassortment events, including unequal crossing over and gene conversion, at the Rp1 complex are capable of generating novel resistance specificities that were not present in the parents. Some 176 events involving genetic reassortment within the Rp1 complex were screened for novel resistance specificities with a set of 11 different rust biotypes. Most (150/176) of the events were susceptible to all tested rust biotypes, providing no evidence for new specificities. Eleven events selected as double-resistant recombinants, when screened with the 11 test biotypes, showed the combined resistance of the two parental types consistent with a simple recombination and pyramiding of the parental resistances. Nine events selected either as having partial resistance or complete susceptibility to a single biotype possessed resistance to a subset of the biotypes that the parents were resistant to, suggesting segregation of resistance genes present in the parental Rp1 complex. Four events gave rise to novel specificities being resistant to at least one rust biotype to which both parents were susceptible. All four had flanking marker exchange, demonstrating that crossing over within the Rp1 complex is associated with the appearance of new rust resistance specificities.