Angular leaf spot (ALS) caused by
Phaeoisariopsis griseola (Sacc.) Ferr. is one of the major
diseases affecting the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) world
wide. In Africa, it is the most prevalent and economically
important disease of beans. It is particularly important in Malawi,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and in the Kivu
province of Congo. In Uganda, most of the released varieties and
popular land races succumb angular leaf spot, with yield losses of up
to 55%. Breeding for resistance is the most effective control
strategy, since beans are grown mostly by small scale farmers for whom
alternative control measures are not practical. Several sources of
resistance have been identified. Unfortunately the nature of
resistance genes has not been fully characterized. A study was
initiated at Namulonge Research Station and at Kawanda Research
Station to: (1) characterize the resistance to ALS in the cultivar
Mexico 54; (2) determine if the SCAR marker (OPNO2890C)
linked to the resistance gene phg-2 present in Mexico 54 is
useful in populations other than the one from which it was identified;
and, (3) to introduce resistance to some of the popular but
susceptible varieties. Crosses were made between Mexico 54 and three
susceptible cultivars: K131, K 132 (released varieties in Uganda) and
a popular land race, Kanyebwa. A portion of the resulting F1
seeds was used to generate the F2 and backcross populations
to each of the susceptible cultivars and to the resistant parent. The
F1, F2 and backcross progenies and their parents
were inoculated with P. griseola Mesoamerican race 2A in a
screenhouse. The plants were visually evaluated for disease severity
using the 1 to 9 CIAT scale. F2 progenies of crosses with
Mexico 54, showed a segregation ratio of resistant to susceptible of
3:1. A resistant to susceptible ratio of 1:1 was observed among the
backcross progeny to the susceptible parents. Backcross progeny to
the resistant parent were resistant. This indicated that a single
dominant gene conditions resistance to P.griseola race 2A in
Mexico 54. Activities are underway to detect the OPNO2890C
SCAR in the F2 populations and determine if it can be
used in selecting resistant genotypes.