A Major Gene for Resistance to Anthracnose Leaf Blight in Maize

The inheritance of the reaction of maize (Zea mays L.) to anthracnose leaf blight caused by Colletotrichum graminicola was studied in eight generations derived from a cross between a hypersensitively resistant inbred. LB–58, and a susceptible inbred, A632. The generations consisted of the two parents, F1, F2 backcrosses and the backcrosses-selfed, Chisquare analysis of the data for individual locations as well as across locations indicated that resistance at both the seedling and mature plant stages of development is conditioned by a single dominant gene, designated CgL. A study of the reactions of LB-58 in several hybrid combinations indicated that resistance was expressed in ail cast-s even though the expression of CgL gene was modified somewhat in different hybrid combinations.