POWDERY MILDEW RESISTANCE IN STRAWBERRY PROGENIES

The effect of various parents on the degree of powdery mildew resistance in strawberry progenies was studied. Puget Beauty parentage, compared with Siletz, Surecrop, Talisman, Magoon, or Stelemaster parentage, gave a highly significant increase in the mean resistance rating. British Sovereign parentage, compared with Northwest or Agassiz parentage, gave a significant increase in the mean resistance rating. Puget Beauty was the only parent to give relatively large numbers of seedlings immune or resistant to powdery mildew. Siletz was as resistant to the disease as Puget Beauty, but did not transmit this resistance to its progeny. Selections immune or resistant to powdery mildew will be used in the strawberry breeding program at Agassiz.