Development of Advanced Pea Breeding Lines with Improved Resistance to Ascochyta Blight

Ascochyta blight remains a major constraint for field pea (Pisum sativum L.) production and a priority for breeding programmes. So far, only moderate levels of incomplete resistance have been identified in pea germplasm and accumulated in pea cultivars by breeding. Resistance identified so far appears to be of complex inheritance, with phenotypic expression strongly affected by plant phenology and morphology and by environ-mental factors. This has slowed down the development and release of resistant elite cultivars. In this work, we describe the development of novel resistant breeding lines derived from targeted intra- and interspecific crosses combined with cycles of selection under high disease pressure at seedling and adult plant stages. The performance of thirteen breeding lines selected for improved resistance and good agronomic traits was further validated in a comparative field trial. Results confirmed the successful combination of competitive yield and good standing ability with good levels of resistance exceeding those of the resistant check. These advanced breeding lines are available on request for research and breeding use.