Reactions of Sunflower Inbred Lines to Two Foliar Diseases. M. L. Carson, Assistant Professor, Plant Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57007. Plant Dis. 69:986-988. Accepted for publication 26 April 1985. Copyright 1985 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-69-986.

Twenty-four inbred lines of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) were evaluated for resistance to Alternaria blight and 18 inbred lines were evaluated for resistance to Septoria leaf spot in the field during the 1982 and 1983 growing seasons. Significant differences (P ≤0.05) were detected between inbred lines for reactions to both diseases, as measured by the percentage of leaf area infected. The inbred line × year interaction term was significant in the combined analysis for both diseases. No significant differences were detected between fertile sunflower inbred lines and their cytoplasmically male sterile counterparts in resistance to Alternaria blight. Resistance to the two diseases was significantly positively correlated.

Keyword(s): Alternaria helianthi, Septoria helianthi.