RESISTANCE OF NEW CORN HYBRIDS TO CORN RUST (Puccinia polysora)

Abstract

Corn is one of the most dominant food crops after rice. Breeding programmes should include development of resistance to both biotic and abiotic stress resistance besides yield increase. The objective of this study was to identify the resistance level of new high yielding hybrids to corn rust disease. Disease resistance testing for corn rust (Puccinia polysora) was conducted using a randomised block design with three replicates. The genetic material used was the same as the adaptation test material, consisting of 8 test hybrids, namely BPN--2301, BPN--2302, BPN-2303, BPN-2304, BPN-2305, BPN-2306, BPN-2307, BPN-2308, and 2 comparison varieties, namely NK6172 and BISI 18. The testing was carried out from 25 May to 15 September 2024 in Bajeng, Gowa, South Sulawesi. The testing was carried out on rice fields with regosol soil type and pump well irrigation. The trial site was located at an altitude of 100 metres above sea level. The disease-resistant variety used for the corn rust disease test was Pertiwi 6, while the susceptible variety used was Glutinous URI 1. The results of the study concluded that the disease resistance test results for the 8 test hybrid corn varieties, namely BPN-2301, BPN-2302, BPN-2303, BPN-2304, BPN-2305, BPN-2306, BPN-2307, BPN-2308, and 2 comparison varieties, namely NK6172 and BISI 18, as well as the Pertiwi 6 variety for corn rust resistance testing and the Glutinous URI 1 variety for susceptibility testing, produced data showing that corn rust was classified as moderately resistant, except for BPN-2303, which was classified as susceptible. Additionally, the susceptibility test results for corn rust disease also fall into the highly susceptible category.