DISEASE RESISTANCE IN PROTECTED CROPS AND MUSHROOMS

Cultivars of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers have been bred for resistance to one or more pathogens. Some tomato and cucumber cultivars have resistance to a wide range of diseases. Resistance has been transient in many cases and a succession of cultivars with new genes or new combinations of resistance genes has been necessary to maintain control. There has been a number of notable exceptions and these have included durable resistance to such pathogens as Fulvia fulva and tomato mosaic virus. With lettuce the resistance situation is complicated by the occurrence of fungicide resistant pathotypes. There are no strains of Agaricus bisporus purposely bred for disease resistance. In protected flower crops only resistance to Fusarium wilt in carnations has been purposely bred but differences in disease resistance are apparent in cultivars of many ornamental crops. This is particularly so in chrysanthemums where there are cultivars with resistance to many of the major pathogens. Similar situations occur with other flower crops and pot plants. Cultivars of some species have not been systematically investigated for resistance. The need for genetic resistance will increase with the further reduction, in the limits on pesticide use and an increasing public awareness and importance of pesticide pollution.