Abstract

Field pea (Pisum sativum L. subsp. sativum) is an important agricultural crop worldwide, as a main source of protein in human diet and as animal fodder. In Ethiopia, it is the second most important legume crop next to faba bean (Vicia faba L.). However, the production is threatened by pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum L.), which is a rapidly spreading insect pest throughout the country. During June-October 2011, a total of 602 pea accessions from Ethiopia were screened for pea weevil resistance at three field sites in Ethiopia. From this trial, accessions with relatively low mean percent seed damage (PSD) were selected and evaluated during June-October 2012 in replicated trials. Some genotypes from the selected accessions were also studied under greenhouse conditions for up to three generations. Both in the field and greenhouse trials, a significant level of variation in PSD were observed among accessions/genotypes. However, a few of them showed relatively consistent results across sites and years. The gene bank accessions 32454 and 235002 had consistently < 40 % PSD. These accessions had 17 and 33 % PSD, respectively, at a site where the highest and overall mean PSD were 92 and 75 %, respectively. Also, promising genotypes with consistently low levels of seed damage were identified in accessions 226037 and 32410. The incorporation of such promising accessions/genotypes into pea breeding programs may lead to the development of field pea varieties with enhanced resistance against pea weevil and consequently contribute to sustainable field pea production in Ethiopia and beyond.

Keywords

Bruchus pisorum; Field pea; Host-plant resistance; Pea weevil; Pisum sativum

Published in

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
2015, Volume: 62, number: 4, pages: 525-538

SLU Authors

• Teshome, Abel

  • Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Medesil Amosa, Esayas

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Dida, Mulatu Geleta

  • Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Anderson, Peter

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Rämert, Birgitta

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hillbur, Ylva

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

• Bryngelsson, Tomas

  • Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network


UKÄ Subject classification

Genetics
Other Biological Topics


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0178-2

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/66243