Screening the Spanish Barley Core Collection for disease resistance

The Spanish Barley Core Collection comprises 159 landrace-derived inbred lines and 16 cultivars adapted to Southern European conditions. The collection was screened for resistance to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis), scald (Rhynchosporium secalis), leaf rust (Puccinia hordei), net blotch (Pyrenophora teres f. teres), Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV). Resistance to powdery mildew was outstanding, with 58 lines presenting mean overall resistance, among them seven landrace-derived lines resistant to all seven isolates tested. About 26% of the Spanish lines were resistant to scald. Resistance to leaf rust and to net blotch was scarce, though a few accessions showed resistance levels as good as the checks. Thirteen accessions (12 Spanish) were totally resistant to BaMMV and c. 20% of accessions showed moderate tolerance to BYDV. Landrace-derived lines from the Mediterranean Coast and Southern regions of Spain were the most resistant to powdery mildew and leaf rust, but the most susceptible to viruses. Potential sources of resistance might be preserved in some accessions subjected to selective pressure in the region of origin.