Characterization of the anthracnose resistance gene present in the Andean cultivar Perla

Abstract

Biotic stress is a major cause of yield losses in common bean production worldwide. Anthracnose (ANT), caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc & Magnus) Briosi & Cavara is among the diseases that affect beans and can cause yield losses of up to 100%, especially when environmental conditions are favorable for the development of the disease (Singh and Schwartz, 2010). The use of disease resistance genes is the most economical and ecological strategy for disease control. Finding and characterization of ANT resistance genes in different materials and available cultivars is important (Mahuku and Riascos, 2004). To date different anthracnose resistance genes were identified in common bean, most of them in Mesoamerican germplasm. Thus, characterization of new Andean sources of resistance is important for bean breeding. In the present work the resistance gene present in the Andean cultivar Perla was studied.