Summary
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1.
Fiji disease is an important virus disease of sugarcane in many countri es. In Fiji, its vector is the leafhopper Perkinsiella vitiensis.
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2.
The usual measure of resistance under insectary test conditions is the number of days required after exposure to viruliferous hoppers for half the test plants of a clone to show the diagnostic symptoms (SD50). Previous studies have shown this measure is related to resistance under field conditions and is convenient to record.
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3.
A quantitative genetic analysis has been made of resistance to Fiji disease in a hybrid sugarcane population.
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4.
The SD50 measure of resistance showed a heritability and repeatability of about 0.4. These results indicated that Fiji disease resistance can be improved by breeding and selection.
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5.
No unfavourable correlations were detected between resistance and other commercial attributes.
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6.
In a mixed stand, sugarcane clones differ for the number of leafhoppers found on them. However no necessary relationship was detected between this character and resistance to Fiji disease.
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Communicated by R. W. Allard
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Stevenson, N.D., Brown, A.H.D. & Latter, B.D.H. Quantitative genetics of sugarcane. Theoret. Appl. Genetics 42, 262–266 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00277553
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00277553