Research Objective

• Identify clubroot resistance genes in donor lines of canola and rutabaga (close relative) that might be resistant against new pathotypes from Alberta
• Identify resistance genes genomically (using QTL, SNP markers)
• Search for similar genes in B. napus, B. oleraceae, and B. rapa, map the genomic region containing these genes, and incorporate the new CR genes into canola
• Focus on having a resistance spectrum with a multiple-gene strategy rather than single gene resistance
• Test the selected B. napus line with new multiple CR genes for durability of resistance against single and mixed pathotype populations

Project Description

Clubroot resistance (CR) is extremely important to canola, but the pathotypes (types/strains) of clubroot are evolving very quickly to overcome the resistant varieties of canola currently available. The focus of this study is to find new genes from existing resistant gene pools and other sources to gain a greater arsenal in fighting against quickly evolving clubroot populations. Quickly evolving populations are primarily a problem in Alberta (and spreading to Saskatchewan and Manitoba) where there is a lack of resistance to new clubroot pathogen types because it is primarily single gene resistance, whereas this study would like to research having multiple CR alleles which would greatly decrease the success of the pathogen overcoming the resistance. The key outcome of this study will be to increase the diversity of CR genes in canola cultivars and the durability of cultivar resistance, so that the pathogens will evolve more slowly in resistance to the variety being grown.