Short essay on Breeding for Disease Resistance

Pathogen:

An organism that causes disease in another organism (i.e., host).

Development of disease in plant depends on (i) host genotype, (ii) pathogen genotype and (iii) the environment.

Disease resistance:

The ability of host to inhibit the growth of pathogen so that no or little harm is done to it. It can be mechanical/anatomical feature, protective reaction, antibiosis and non- supply of nutrition by the host which checks pathogen to enter and flourish in the host’s body.

Susceptible Host:

Term is used for those lines which are not resistant to the pathogen but are attacked and harmed by the pathogen.

A successful breeding for disease resistance depends mainly on:

(a) good source of resistance, and (b) dependable disease test.

Disease test:

Is carried out by growing various varieties in an area under conditions in which the susceptible plants would develop the disease.

Disease resistant varieties provide the cheapest and a hazard-free means of controlling diseases. Is any case, such varieties are very important component of any package designed for disease control. Almost all modern day varieties incorporate in them resistance for important diseases of the crop.