Inheritance of resistance to sterility mosaic virus in pigeonpea (Cajanu5 cajan (L.) Millsp.)

Abstract

The inheritance of resistance in pigeonpea to the Bangalore strain of Sterility Mosaic Virus (PPSMV) was studied in crosses involving 2 resistant lines (rCp 7035 and MAL 14) with no apparent symptoms and susceptible lines (TTB 7, ICP 8863 and DBN1) with severe mosaic symptoms. The F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 generations were sown in the field and screened following infector hedge, infector row and leaf stapling techniques. Resistance was recessive and appeared to be governed by two independent non-allelic genes exhibiting complementary epistasis. However, the presence of atleast one gene confering resistance to the disease, in homozygous recessive condition was found to be necessary to express resistance phenotype.