Genetic Nature of Resistance in Corn to Yellow Leaf Blight

Abstract

Different corn (Zea mays L.) inbreds and hybrids with normal cytoplasm (N) and similar inbreds with Texas (Terns) and other male sterile cytoplasms were compared for their reaction to Phyllosticta yellow leaf blight. Considerable resistance was found in some of the corn inbreds and hybrids tested. The resistance was found to be influenced by both cytoplasmic and nuclear factors. Plants with Tcms cytoplasm were the most susceptible, while C, J, and R types of cytoplasm seemed highly resistant. The reaction of offspring derived from a cross between susceptible and resistant normal inbreds indicated existence of at least one dominant gene pair for resistance to yellow leaf blight.