A resistant mutant of Japanese pear to black spot disease was induced from the susceptible ‘Nijisseiki’ by chronic irradiation in a gamma-field. The symptoms of black spot disease on the mutant observed under field conditions for a period of 5 years after selection were minimal. Characteristics and degree of resistance of this mutant were examined.
1. The induced mutant obviously differed from ‘Nijisseiki’ in the susceptibility to the disease when spores or the phytotoxin of the pathogen were artificially inoculated on leaves and fruits. Resistance to black spot disease exhibited by this mutant, however, seemed to be rather intermediate when compared to the full resistance exhibited by the resistant ‘Chojuro’.
2. Degree of resistance to alternaria blotch which is one of the apple diseases, was examined in the induced mutant and ‘Nijisseiki’, since it had been reported that ‘Nijisseiki’ was susceptible to this apple disease, too. Both materials were susceptible to alternaria blotch, but the susceptibility of the mutant was very low. These results suggested that there would be no serious problem of infection by black spot or alternaria blotch disease in practical cultivation of this mutant.