Multi-location evaluation of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) for broad-based resistance to sterility-mosaic disease in India

A total of 141 germplasm accessions and 725 breeding lines of pigeon pea were evaluated for resistance to pigeon pea sterility mosaic virus at 13 field locations in India from 1983-84 to 1989-90. Some 50 seeds per test entry were sown at each location and the trials were artificially inoculated by either leaf-stapling (in which 10-15-day-old seedlings were stapled with diseased leaves harbouring mites) or the infector-hedge method (with the susceptible variety NP(WR)15 sown on the border of the nursery 4-6 months in advance of the normal sowing date). The breeding lines included in the evaluation were newly bred, high-yielding lines entered into the Pigeon Pea Co-ordinated trials by ICRISAT and the All-India Co-ordinated Pulses Improvement Project. ICP7182 was used as the susceptible control line. Information is presented on lines and accessions showing broad-based resistance (percentage infection at maturity) during the trial period at each location. Line ICP7035 from Madhyha Pradesh, which contains DSLR55 in its pedigree, was resistant at 12 locations and some 18 lines were resistant at 10 locations