Research Objective
To initiate a long-term strategy for the enhancement and maintenance of resistance in pea for Ascochyta blight and powdery mildew using an integrated genetic improvement approach through interspecific hybridization, tissue culture techniques to accelerate hybrid development, plant pathology, and molecular genetics.
Based on greenhouse and field experiments, four wild accessions namely, were identified with substantially greater resistance than check cultivars. Two interspecific crosses were found to be most promising among the four wide crosses made. A linkage map consisting of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) markers will be used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for mycosphaerella blight and other traits. Germplasm derived from introgression of improved Ascochyta blight resistance from the wild pea accessions will serve as a resource to pea breeders attempting to increase durability of resistance and increase yield potential.