Pod yield of peanut breeding lines from fields infested with Sclerotinia minor or Verticillium dahliae

Diseases such as Sclerotinia blight (Sclerotinia minor Jagger) and Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae Kleb.) can drastically reduce peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yields in Texas. Field trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of advanced peanut breeding lines in a field naturally infested with S. minor. Pod yields were increased by 2457, 1391, 1226 and 981 kg ha super(-1) for breeding lines TX-3, TX-2, TX-1 and TX-4, respectively, when compared to the commercial standard 'Flavor Runner 458'. Yield for these breeding lines were equivalent to or greater than that of the partially resistant cultivar 'Tamrun OL07'. Separate trials were conducted on the Southern High Plains to evaluate the performance of breeding lines TX-3, TX-4, TX-5 and TX-6 in fields infested with V. dahliae. Pod yields were greatest for breeding line TX-3 and 'Flavor Runner 458', 5038 and 4960 kg ha super(-1), respectively, whereas yield was lowest for breeding line TX-5 (3966 kg ha super(-1)). Pod yields for the cultivars 'McCloud', TX-6, 'Tamrun OL02' and 'Tamrun OL07' where intermediate ranging from 4476 to 4254 kg ha super(-1). Results from these studies indicate that there are varying levels of resistance to S. minor and V. dahliae among the breeding lines evaluated. Breeding line TX-3 may be suitable for fields co-infested with both pathogens.