Introgression of bacterial blight (BB) resistance genes <i>Xa7</i> and <i>Xa21</i> into popular restorer line and their hybrids by molecular marker-assisted backcross (MABC) selection scheme

Abstract

Yihui1577 is an elite restorer line widely used in hybrid rice production in China, however, both the restorer and their derived hybrids are susceptible to bacterial blight (BB) caused by Xathomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). In order to overcome this problem, we had introgressed two resistant genes Xa7 and Xa21 into Yihui1577 by marker-assisted backcross (MABC) with foreground selection scheme to speed up the process. Six breeding lines with different BB resistance genes: HH1202 (Xa7), HH1203 (Xa7), HH1204 (Xa21), HH1205 (Xa21), HH1206 (Xa7+Xa21) and HH1207 (Xa7+Xa21) were selected and crossed with four CMS and one TGMS lines. Seven most virulent and prevalent Xoo strains (PXO61, PXO99, ZHE173, GD1358, FuJ, YN24 and HeN11) from the Philippines and different provinces of China were inoculated for evaluating the BB-resistance of the selected lines and their derived hybrids. The results reveal that the two lines and their derived hybrids with single resistance gene Xa7 were resistant against six of the seven Xoo strains, except for PXO99. The lines with single resistance gene Xa21 were only susceptible to the Xoo strain FuJ, but some of their derived hybrids were susceptible to the Xoo strains FuJ and GD1358. Interestingly, the pyramiding lines carrying the two resistance genes Xa7 and Xa21 and also their derived hybrids were resistant against all the seven Xoo strains. The data of agronomic and grain quality characteristics demonstrated that the selected lines were similar to that of the recurrent parent Yihui1577. Corrective measures taken by way of introgression of BB-resistance genes: Xa7 and Xa21 into the popular restorer line, Yihui1577 through MABC approach for enhancing the BB-resistance level was effective and timely.

Keywords: Bacterial blight, resistance gene, Xa7 and Xa21, MABC, inoculation and reaction, agronomic traits, grain quality