Comparison of methods to evaluate resistance of lettuce genotypes against Bremia lactucae

For the lettuce crop, there is no specific or standard methodology to evaluate genotype resistance of lettuce against downy mildew. Therefore, the aim of this work was to compare three methodologies for the identification of resistance to downy mildew. The experiment was carried out at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Monte Carmelo Campus between 2017 and 2018. The statistical method used was a completely randomized design with 12 treatments (cultivar Solaris, used as a control; and 11 genotypes of lettuce F5: 6: UFU-Crespa 75 # 2, UFU-Crespa 189 # 2, UFU-Crespa 206 # 1, UFU-Lisa 66 # 3, UFU-Lisa 66 # 7, UFU-Lisa 215 # 3, UFU-Lisa 215 # 6, UFU-Lisa 215 # 10, UFU-Lisa 215 # 12, UFU-Lisa 215 # 13, UFU-Lisa 215 # 14) and four replications. The seeding of genotypes was carried out in transparent boxes and after 15 days the inoculation was performed using a spore suspension (1x104 sporangia/ml) and sterile deionized water for the controls. The disease progression was assessed by three methods: Mesquita, Dickinson & Crute and Horsfall & Barrat. The data were standardized and submitted to the univariate analysis of variance by the F test and multivariate analyzes. The univariate clustering results allowed the separation of the genotypes into two distinct resistance groups for the Dickinson & Crute and Mesquita methods. In the multivariate analysis, more formation of groups among genotypes with different levels of resistance to downy mildew in the Mesquita method was observed. The methodology proposed by Mesquita was more efficient in discriminating genotypes with different levels of resistance to downy mildew, separating them in a larger number of groups.