Selection for durable resistance to leaf rust using test-crosses on IAPAR-59 and Tupi IAC 1669-33 cultivars of Coffea arabica

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify plants of the IAPAR-59 and Tupi IAC 1669-33 coffee cultivars with less defeated resistance genes by the rust races present at IAPAR (Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil) using test-crosses. Eighteen test-crosses derived from hybridizations between 'IAPAR-59' or 'Tupi IAC 1669-33' with susceptible coffee to the rust disease were evaluated. Six hybrids were used as susceptible standards originated from hybridizations between two susceptible coffee plants. Many parental plants of the 'IAPAR-59' and 'Tupi IAC 1669-33' presented more defeated resistance genes against rust races present at IAPAR than others of these cultivars or the genes were in heterozygous, because of segregant susceptible plants observed in some test-crosses. The test-crosses were very efficient to identify plants with less defeated resistance genes to the H. vastatrix. Coffee plants considered resistants would must be made test-crosses to verify which plants presented less and/or more defeated genes in homozygous.