Mapping of leaf and neck blast resistance genes with resistance gene analog, RAPD and RFLP in rice

An F-8 recombinant inbred population was constructed using a commercial indica rice variety Zhong 156 as the female parent and a semidwarf indica variety Gumei 2 with durable resistance to rice blast as the male parent. Zhong 156 is resistant to the fungus race ZC(15) at the seedling stage but susceptible to the same race at the flowering stage. Gumei 2 is resistant to ZC15 at both stages. The blast resistance of 148 recombinant inbred lines was evaluated using the blast race ZC15. Genetic analysis indicated that the resistance to leaf blast was controlled by three genes and the presence of resistant alleles at any loci would result in resistance. One of the three genes did not have effects at the flowering stage. Two genes, tentatively assigned as Pi24(t) and Pi25(t), were mapped onto chromosome 12 and 6, respectively, based on RGA (resistance gene analog), RFLP and RAPD markers. Pi24( t) conferred resistance to leaf blast only, and its resistance allele was from Zhong 156. Pi25( t) conferred resistance to both leaf and neck blast, and its resistance allele was from Gumei 2. In a natural infection test in a blast hot-spot, Pi25(t) exhibited high resistance to neck blast, while Pi24(t) showed little effect.