Disease resistance

Disease resistance refers to a plant’s inherited ability to limit infection or the proliferation of specific pathogens. It may depend on a single gene or be quantitative and polygenic in nature. Plant health, environmental conditions, and infection pressure influence the course of the disease but are not the source of genetic resistance. Resistance does not mean complete protection—under high pathogen pressure, even a resistant variety can become infected. When selecting a variety, check exactly which pathogen and race the resistance designation applies to, and continue to implement preventive measures.