Identification of reaction pattern to turcicum leaf blight among early maturing maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines

Turcicum leaf blight of maize caused by Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.) Leonard and Suggs is the most important biotic stress in temperate agro-ecologies of the valley of Kashmir. Plant genetic resistance to this disease is a safe alternative and most economic strategy. In the present study 36 early maturing inbred lines of maize were screened for resistance against E. turcicum under field conditions. When tested against ten isolates of E. turcicum under artificial conditions, twenty-seven genotypes viz., KDM-1156, KDM-362A, V-351, KDM-445B, KDM-916A, KDM-1095, KDM-439, KDM-895A, KDM-914A, KDM-342A, PS66, CML239, CML240, CML244, CML245, CML446, CML460, CML470, CML152, CML474, CML472, CML350, VL1018140, VL1034, VL109452, VL127 and VL1018527 were found resistant. Nine genotypes viz., PS45, CML165, CML459, VL1249, VL1030, SMC5, SMC3, KDM-962B and KDM-969 were found moderately resistant. The resistant inbred lines will be further used in a crossing programme to develop high yielding and disease resistance varieties for high altitude temperate agro-ecologies.