In vitro screening of rice germplasm for resistance to brown spot disease using phytotoxin.

Two R1 IR8 plants derived from somatic cells cultured in 25% Helminthosporium oryzae toxin-medium, and one IR54 plant derived from a control (toxin free medium) were found to have mutated resistance to brown spot disease of rice. In the second generation (R2, the offspring of the R1 generation) of the three resistant populations, the segregation of resistance and susceptibility to the disease was observed. This is the first report about a disease resistant mutation obtained successfully in rice by tissue culture and in vitro screening with phytotoxin.