About this Research Topic
Due to the lack of highly resistant resources and currently known resistance sources are typically quantitative traits, breeding of Sclerotinia-resistant oilseed rape has been becoming difficult. A total of 18 specific R genes have been identified for blackleg resistance so far, while the genetic background for quantitative resistance is less understood. So far, a total of 26 loci have been mapped or cloned from different resistant materials worldwide for clubroot, using different marker systems. However, these loci have not been critically compared, and except for Crr1a and CRs, the functions of most CR genes have not been characterized. Additionally, as a given R gene often has a specific resistance/responsive to certain pathotypes, an oilseed rape/canola variety containing a single R locus will likely lose its resistance quickly, when used continuously in a heavily infested field. Therefore, there is a need to discover new resistance genes, clarify the relationship among all resistance loci identified, and study the underlying mechanisms, which is critical for developing novel strategies in resistance breeding by using the newest genomics technologies.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions around the following aspects of these Brassica diseases:
• Reviews: recent progress and challenges on resistance genetics and breeding, and provide perspectives/strategies for developing durable/highly resistant oilseed rape/canola varieties.
• Resistance germplasm innovation: research describing screening of natural resources of Brassica species and their relatives, and mutants generated through novel approaches to create resistance elite germplasm that could be used efficiently in the breeding process.
• Resistance-gene mapping and candidate gene identification: studies on novel resistance gene mapping, and candidate gene identification based on comparative genomics and map-based cloning/ other cloning strategy in order to provide solid platforms for utilizing these diverse resistance resources successfully.
• Resistance-gene interactions and resistance mechanisms: Functional validation of candidate genes, revealing the gene interactions or resistance mechanism under the regulation of different resistance genes based on multiple omics or other molecular technologies.
• Molecular breeding: research shedding the light on developing durable/highly resistance varieties that can overcome the pathotype specificity associated with a single R gene or week resistance performance. For example, pyramiding typical R/quantitative resistance genes into a variety based on the knowledge of resistance mechanism of each kind of resistance gene, or even novel resistance modes of action from non-hosts.
Keywords: Plant breeding, clubroot, blackleg, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Brassica, Resistance gene
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.