Rice blast poses the greatest disease threat to irrigated rice, causing losses up to 100% in grain yield under epidemic attack. Genetic resistance is the most effective and environmentally sound way to control the disease. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the number of genes and gene action involved in the inheritance of resistance to race IA-1abd of Pyricularia grisea in rice genotypes. The inoculation of the fungus was performed on fixed (P1, P2 and F1) and segregating (F2, RC1F1 and RC2F1) populations, composed of cultivars BRS 7 "Taim", BRS Firmeza, BRS Atalanta and Fanny. The results show that there is dominance for the gene action based on the six generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, RC1F1 and RC2F1), which confirms the presence of one gene with two alleles. In all reciprocal crosses no maternal effect was observed. In the cross between resistant parents (BRS 7 "Taim" and BRS Firmeza), there was no segregation in the generations F2 and backcrosses, suggesting that both parents have the same genetic constitution for the reaction of resistance to the IA-1abd race. The segregating generations (F2 and RC1F1) of all crosses between resistant and susceptible genotypes did not differ from the expected ratio of 3:1 and 1:1, respectively, suggesting that these cultivars, "Taim" and BRS Firmeza, have one dominant gene responsible for the expression of the character resistance reaction.
Oryza sativa; rice blast; plant breeding
