The response of oilseed rape (Brassica napus ssp oliefera ) accessions with different glucosinolate and erucic acid contents to four isolates of Peronospora parasitica (downy mildew) and the identification of new sources of resistance

A total of 101 Brassica napus ssp. oleifera accessions with seed differing in glucosinolate and erucic acid contents were screened for resistance to four isolates of Peronospora parasitica at the cotyledon stage. Two groups of accessions with different resistance factors were identified. Lines that were homogeneous for resistance were selected from seedling populations of accessions that exhibited a heterogeneous reaction to some isolates. The resistance of one group differs from that of cv. Cresor, the only oilseed rape cultivar reported to have an isolate-specific gene for resistance to P. parasitica. The isolate specificity of the second group was identical to that of cv. Cresor. A comparison of the response of host accessions which expressed moderate to full susceptibility at the cotyledon stage, with no clear differential response to any of the four P. parasitica isolates, indicated that those with high glucosinolate and high erucic acid contents (12 accessions) were slightly but significantly less susceptible than those with high glucosinolate and low erucic acid (19 accessions), or low glucosinolate and low erucic acid contents (28 accessions). The mean differences between accessions with low erucic acid but differing in glucosinolate content were inconsistent. The last result was further confirmed by investigating the expression of resistance to three isolates of P. parasitica at three different seedling growth stages among 11 accessions of oilseed rape with seeds low in erucic acid but differing in glucosinolate content.