Effect of environment and genotype and their interaction on pathogenicity of Ustilago hordei

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Abstract
The effects of environment, parasite genotype, and their interaction on the pathogenicity of Ustilago hordei (Pers.) Lagerh., causing the covered smut of barley were investigated. Sixteen dikaryons were constructed from the eight meiotic products of two teliospores. These dikaryons were used as different parasite genotypes on the barley culti-var Hannchen in five different macro-environments. The analysis of variance showed highly significant differences between parasites' pathogenicity, and between macro-environments' effects, but the interaction between parasites and macro-environments was not significant. The breakdown of phenotypic (pathogenicity) variation (Vp) was 28.1 percent for the genetic component (VG), 30.5 percent for the macro-environment component (VE), and 41.4 percent for the micro-environment component (Ve). This indicates that pathogenicity of U. hordei is a highly variable character, which is also very sensitive to environmental conditions. This information is needed for better understanding of host-parasite relationships in the covered smut of barley, which should be helpful in the development of barley cultivars with long lasting race nonspecific resistance.

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