BruchidRESIST: The Pannonian vetch (Vicia pannonica) as a model plant for the development of resistant field bean and vetch varieties against field bean weevil (Bruchus rufimanus) infestation (BruchidRESIST)

With the long-term goal of advancing breeding solutions to address Bruchus rufimanus related problems in faba bean, the project identifies and characterizes resistance traits in the extended host range of the beetle with a focus on the Pannonian vetch (Vicia pannonica). In Module A, University Kassel performs a comprehensive screening of genebank accessions under field conditions in order to select both, most resistant as well as most susceptible accessions. After confirmation of the resistance traits in no-choice cage experiments with defined beetle exposure, two accessions with contrasted susceptibility will be selected as crossing parents. Resulting F2 progeny will be evaluated with regard to the re-splitting of resistance and susceptibility traits. In a subsequent second funding phase (Module B), the JKI-Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance performs genomic analyses, identifying infestation-relevant gene loci in V. pannonica. In order to locate susceptibility and resistance traits in the secondary and primary faba bean gene pool, synteny-based gene maps for model plant and faba bean are created, which can be used for the targeted development of beetle-resistant faba bean genotypes. Furthermore, at University Kassel, module B evaluates highly resistant V. pannonica-accessions in a dead end trap cropping approach, first in small scale field experiments and then at on-farm field level to reduce B. rufimanus-infestation in faba bean.