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Fusarium ear rot resistance in South American popcorn lines

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Abstract

To contribute to increasing ear rot resistance in new popcorn cultivars, the present study was aimed to identify germplasm with resistance to Fusarium ear rot (FER) in popcorn inbred lines. The study was conducted in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ear rot severity was evaluated in 176 lines of different populations of popcorn from South America. In the first stage, the lines were evaluated in two seasons under natural infection conditions in the field, in a design of groups of experiments arranged in randomized blocks. In the second stage, the genotypes selected with potential FER resistance had their kernels evaluated in a blotter test to confirm the absence of the pathogen. Finally, in the third stage, the lines selected as candidates for resistance in the previous stages were again evaluated under artificial inoculation conditions in a protected environment. The selection of genotypes with potential use for the breeding of the crop considered the possibilities of gains in heterosis and the local phytosanitary requirements for the sale of popcorn grains. Of the 176 evaluated lines, nine exhibited resistance to FER and will be used for the composition of crossing blocks aiming at the generation of resistant hybrids. The field evaluation stages and confirmation of the presence of the pathogen via the blotter test were essential for saving resources and optimizing the selection process.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are thanks to Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for financial support. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior –Brasil (CAPES) –Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Engenharia Agrícola, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil

    Rafael Nunes de Almeida, Marcelo Vivas, Nayana Machado Oliveira Ribeiro, Julio Cesar Gradice Saluci, Fernanda Vargas Valadares & Luana Cruz Vasconcelos

  2. Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil

    Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Júnior

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  1. Rafael Nunes de Almeida
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  2. Marcelo Vivas
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  3. Nayana Machado Oliveira Ribeiro
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  4. Julio Cesar Gradice Saluci
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  5. Fernanda Vargas Valadares
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  7. Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Júnior
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Contributions

Conceptualization: MV, ATAJ; Methodology: RNA, JCGS; Formal analysis and investigation: FVV, LVC, NMOR, RNA; Writing—original draft preparation: RNA, NMOR, MV; Writing—review and editing: MV, ATAJ, JCGS; Funding acquisition and supervision: MV.

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Correspondence to Rafael Nunes de Almeida.

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de Almeida, R.N., Vivas, M., Ribeiro, N.M.O. et al. Fusarium ear rot resistance in South American popcorn lines. Trop. plant pathol. 48, 656–666 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-023-00607-3

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