Genetics of resistance to ascochyta blight (Ascochyta lentis) of lentil and the identification of closely linked RAPD markers

Foliar resistance to Ascochyta lentis is controlled at a single major locus by a dominant gene (AbR(1)) in the lentil accession ILL5588 (cv 'Northfield'). Flanking RAPD markers that are closely linked to the resistance locus in coupling phase were identified by bulked segregant analysis. Out of 261 decanucleotide primers screened 7 produced a polymorphic marker that segregated with the resistance locus, and all markers were found to exist within a single linkage group. Five of the seven RAPD markers were within 30 cM of the resistance locus. Log likelihood analysis for detecting QTL associated with the foliar resistance revealed that a single narrow peak accounted for almost 90% of the variance of resistance between the bulks. Preliminary mapping in an Fg population revealed that the closest flanking markers were approximately 6 and 14 centiMorgans (cM) away from the resistance locus. These markers should be useful for the discrimination of resistant germplasm through marker-assisted selection in future breeding programmes and represent the first essential step towards the map-based cloning of this resistance gene.