Sat, July 26, 2025 11AM - 2PM CDT
Join us as Dr. David Zlesak, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin River Falls updates us on Breeding Roses for Black Spot Resistance.
CR Credit Approved
The fungal disease rose black spot impacts rosarians worldwide. In response to the increasing demand for healthier roses with less pesticide dependence, breeders have been answering the call by no longer routinely using fungicides in their selection process and have introduced many roses with elevated resistance to black spot the past few decades. David and colleagues have been working to characterize resistance genes in the roses from different breeding programs.
With support from primarily the USDA and the ARS they are making great strides understanding genes that confer black spot resistance and which forms of black spot they confer resistance to. The goal is to ultimately empower breeders with tools to strategically combine different resistance genes to develop more durably black spot resistant roses in all colors and classes. David will update us on the progress they are making.