DNA Markers Linked to Eastern Filbernt Blight Resistance from a Hazelnut Selection from the Republic of Georgio.

The hundred-year history of the european hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) industry in the Pacific northwestern United States is threatened by eastern filbert blight (EFB) caused by the fungus Anisogramma anomala (Peck) E.Muller. Marker-assisted selection has been extensively used for 'Gasaway'resistance in the hazelnut breeding program at Oregon State University.Concern over possible breakdown of this single resistance gene provides an incentive to look for new sources of resistance. OSU 759.010, a selection from the Republic of Georgia, has remained free of EFB after inoculations over several years. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers linked to resistance were identified by screening primers against three resistant seedlings, three susceptible seedlings, and the parents of a segregating seedling population. For the progeny OSU759.010 x OSU 653.068, 13 linked markers were identified. The markers most closely linked to resistance were 695-1800 on the proximal side and H12-640, 373-700, 349-450, and F08-700 on the distal side. Four of the fivemarkers also segregated in the progeny OSU 759.010 x OSU 665.076, whereas H12-640 was monomorphic.Segregation for disease response in the first population showed a surplus of resistant seedlings, approaching a 3:1ratio, with closely linked RAPD markers showing similar ratios. In the second population, the observed segregation for disease response and associated markers did not deviate from the expected 1:1 ratio. Based on cosegregation with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, resistance from OSU 759.010 was assigned to linkage group 2. Resistance to EFB from 'Gasaway' and 'Ratoli' was previously mapped to linkage groups 6 and 7, respectively.Therefore, OSU 759.010 provides a novel source of EFB resistance and markers 695-1800, 373-700, 349-450, and F08-700 have potential for use in marker-assisted selection to pyramid EFB resistance alleles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]