Inheritance of resistance in maize to the virus of streak disease in East Africa

Abstract

SUMMARY Maize plants selected from lines raised in South Africa, and resistant to an East African isolate of streak virus, gave rise on selfing to lines that bred true for resistance through four generations. Heterozygotes from crossing resistant by susceptible lines reacted to infection by inoculation with the vector in a manner intermediate between the parents; neither allelomorph was fully dominant. The F 2 generation from the cross segregated in the expected 1:2:1 ratio. Backcrosses segregated 1:1. The evidence is interpreted as showing control of resistance by a major gene, but with modification in details of the reaction attributed to minor genes.