Partial resistance to a Fusarium root disease in Egyptian white lupin landraces

A Fusarium sp. root pathogen of lupin is the causal agent of the most important disease that affects the cultivation of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) in Egypt. The aim of our research was to investigate whether host resistance to Fusarium root disease was available in Egyptian landraces of Lupinus albus. Five Fusarium isolates collected from white lupin samples in Egypt were tested with an Egyptian landrace and a French cultivar. The most aggressive isolate was used to screen an additional 15 Egyptian landraces, two cultivars released in Egypt after selection among landraces, one Polish cultivar, and two French cultivars. The assessment of host response to Fusarium was performed in a field, and under controlled conditions in a greenhouse pot experiment. Most landraces and the two Egyptian cultivars showed better resistance with good accordance between field and pot experiment. This experiment showed that Egyptian genetic resources of white lupin possess partial resistance to Fusarium root rot. Egyptian germplasm may be an alternative genetic source for incorporating partial resistance to Fusarium root rot into the breeding pools.