Inheritance pattern and validation of RGA marker for powdery mildew resistance in sesame

The inheritance of powdery mildew resistance in sesame was studied in the segregating generations of a cross involving Rama (susceptible) and VRI-1 (resistant) genotypes. The F₂ plants segregated in a ratio of 9 (resistant):7 (susceptible) indicating a digenic mode of inheritance with complementary epistasis for powdery mildew resistance in sesame. The RGA marker (h2_13m22a) reported to be linked to the powdery mildew resistance in sesame found to produce the expected allele (280bp) in the resistant parent (VRI-1) and the resistant bulk, while the allele was absent in the susceptible parent and the susceptible bulk. In F₂ generation plants, the marker h2_13m22a co-segregated with the resistant plants indicating its tight linkage with the gene for powdery mildew resistance. The marker would be useful in marker assisted selection of plant in the breeding for powdery mildew resistance in sesame.