Temperature sensitivity of resistance to two pathotypes of Plasmodiophora brassicae in Brassica oleracea
Several methods were evaluated in an attempt to develop a greenhouse screening procedure that would predict field resistance of brassica breeding lines to clubroot disease caused by <i>Plasmodiophora brassicae</i>. Several <i>Brassica oleracea</i> cultivars and breeding lines bred for resistance to <i>Plasmodiophora brassicae</i> and a susceptible Chinese cabbage cultivar were exposed to high levels of inoculum of both pathotypes PB 6, PB 7 at 12, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C. No infection occurred on any host at 12°C. Chinese cabbage was heavily diseased from 15-30°C. Bagder Shipper cabbage, a cauliflower deriving resistance from this variety, and Oregon CR-1 broccoli were resistant to pathotype PB 6 at 15 and 20°C and partially resistant at 25 and 30°C. They were resistant to pathotype PB 7 and 15°C and almost totally susceptible at 20, 25° and 30°C. Oregon cabbage line OR 123 was resistant to pathotype PB 6 at 15°C at almost completely susceptible at 20, 25 and 30°C. It was resistant to pathotype PB 7 at all temperatures. Temperature sensitivity of resistance can partially explain why breeding lines are resistant in field trials and susceptible in greenhouse tests.