CROP WILD RELATIVES

ABSTRACT: Broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) is a parasitic weed that causes economic damage in sunflower production in many countries, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Iran, Kazakhstan, and China. Genes for resistance to broomrape races A, B, C, D, and E are present in varietal populations of cultivated sunflower. Since broomrape is a highly variable parasitic weed, the breakdown of resistance is a frequent phenomenon, and multiple sources of resistance are needed to control the emerging races. Genes that confer resistance to races F, G, and H and others that have not been assigned a race designation have been identified in wild sunflower species and incorporated into hybrid sunflower through interspecific hybridization. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System wild sunflower collection contains 2,239 accessions with 1373 annual accessions represented by 14 species and 866 perennial accessions represented by 39 species. Sunflower germplasm evaluations for resistance to broomrape races have demonstrated that the Helianthus species constitute a substantial reservoir of genes conferring resistance to new virulence broomrape races. The resistance to broomrape, including immunity reported in seven annual and 32 perennial species, provides breeders a broad genetic base from which to search for resistance to existing and newly emerging races.