Breeding for stem rot Sclerotinia sclerotiorum tolerance in brinjal

Abstract

Brinjal, also known as eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), belongs to the Solanaceae family with chromosome number 2n= 2x= 24 and is often referred to as the King of vegetables . It is a widely grown vegetable in tropical and subtropical regions, primarily cultivated for its immature fruits. Native to India, brinjal is extensively cultivated across Asian countries and is also popular in nations like Italy, France, Egypt, and the United States. Due to its affordability and high nutritional value-being rich in vitamins A, B, C and K and it is consumed across all socioeconomic groups. However, Sclerotinia stem rot poses a significant threat to brinjal cultivation. Developing cultivars with inherent resistance to this disease is crucial for enhancing yield stability and profitability. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate brinjal genotypes for resistance to S. sclerotiorum, with the goal of identifying resistant lines suitable for use in resistance breeding programs to develop high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties. newline