SCREENING PEARL-MILLET CULTIVARS BY ELISA FOR RESISTANCE TO DOWNY MILDEW DISEASE

In an earlier study, we described identification of a protein from a v irulent pathotype of Sclerospora graminicola, the binding reaction of which differentiated susceptible and resistant cultivars of pearl mill et to downy mildew disease. This protein and corresponding antibody we re used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to screen susp ension cells of pearl millet cultivars for their resistance to the dow ny mildew pathogen. Screening results for 31 pearl millet cultivars co rrelated positively with the established field screening method.