Identification of sources of resistance to the main diseases in perennial forage crops

The relevant task for forage selection is to detect the initial plant source with high resistance to diseases. Phytosanitary monitoring of herbages allows to control the constantly changing epidemiological situation, as well as to identify in time new diseases and diseases which are close to the epidemic threshold. This in its turn allows to determine the forage selection strategy for disease resistance. Positive results in the development of disease-resistant plants couldn’t be possible unless not only an assessment of diseases resistance on special infectious fields is conducted, but also there are active breeding studies. A very valuable source for breeding high disease resistant forages are wild herbs as well as cultivars of forages produced in different climatic zones. The aim of the research was to find plants resistant to two economically important diseases: red clover (Trifolium pratense) resistant to clover rot (Sclerotinia trifoliorum) and ryegrass (Lolium sp.) resistant to leaf spot disease caused by Drechslera siccans. The study was conducted on artificial infectious fields of the immunity laboratory of the Federal Research Center «All-Russian Williams Fodder Research Institute». Data on disease resistance for 85 collection samples of red clover (Trifolium pratense), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and hybrid ryegrass (Lolium x hybridum) were obtained. Twelve samples of red clover with high resistance to clover rot (Sclerotinia trifoliorum) and Fusarium spp. and one sample with complex resistance to these pathogens were distinguished. An assessment of leaf disease incidence on red clover revealed one sample with high complex resistance to rust and ascochyta blight and three samples with resistance to anthracnose. According to the results of the evaluation of the ryegrass resistance to Drechslera siccans it was found that three samples were not affected by the pathogen. Thus the long-term studies on the assessment of disease incidence of collection plants of red clover and perennial ryegrass make it possible to recommend distinguished samples as sources of increased resistance.

фитосанитарный мониторинг, болезни кормовых культур, инфекционные фоны, источники устойчивости к болезням, клевер, райграс, phytosanitary monitoring, forage diseases, disease resistance, special infectious field, clover, ryegrass