Subgroup Lan had smaller percentage (23.5%) of resistant lines than other heterotic subgroups. None of the lines in groups LRC and SPT was resistant to CLS. Resistance to CLS in other heterotic subgroups was rare with the highest percentage of 11.8% in subgroup PB. The lines in subgroup PB contained the highest frequency of resistant

lines against GLS (47.1%). Lines CN165, 81565, Qi 319, Dan 9046, and 141, which belong to subgroup PA or PB, were resistant to GLS. Another 5 lines (i.e., HP-3, TS005, TS499, CA23, and CA24) without known information on heterotic subgroups also were resistant to GLS. The percentages of lines resistant to CLS were small in other heterotic subgroups and no resistant HIF inhibitor line was observed in subgroups Lan and SPT. Similarly, resistance to southern rust occurred in fewer than one fourth of the lines in each heterotic subgroup, except for subgroup PB (52.9%). Most lines in each BGB324 price heterotic subgroup were resistant to common rust, but not to other diseases, with frequencies ranging from 65.0% to 93.8% (Fig. 2). Among the six heterotic subgroups, PB lines showed the higher

resistance than other subgroups to the foliar diseases tested, especially to CLS, GLS, and southern rust. Of the 12 lines with resistance to 4 or 5 diseases, 6 belonged to subgroup PB (Fig. 3). Foliar diseases are epidemic not only in China, but also in a wide range of corn production regions in the world, for example, NCLB in Brazil [33] and the U.S. [34] and [35]; SCLB in the U.S. [36]; GLS in sub-Saharan Africa [37], Kenya [38], and the U.S. [39]; common rust in Kenya [40] and the U.S. [40] and [41]; and southern rust in the

U.S. [41] and [42]. These diseases have caused severe economic losses worldwide. Variation in reaction to different foliar diseases in maize was detected in major parental lines currently used in commercial hybrids in China. A small number of lines displayed a highly resistant reaction to each disease. The majority of lines in the resistant categories oxyclozanide had disease severity rating score of 3 (R) or 5 (MR). In particular, none of the lines was highly resistant to NCLB, SCLB, CLS, and GLS. Resistance of a line against 4 to 5 foliar diseases occurred in 7.9% of the lines tested. Based on their pedigrees, most of them were derived from the U.S. germplasm. Lines belonging to different heterotic subgroups exhibited variation in their reactions to the diseases examined. Lines in subgroup PB contained greater percentages of lines resistant to various diseases, especially to GLS, CLS, and southern rust. Six of the twelve lines with resistance to 4 or 5 diseases belong to subgroup PB. Lines in subgroup SPT displayed a high frequency of resistance to SCLB. Subgroup SPT consists of some important inbred lines, such as Chang 7-2. This line was resistant to NCLB, SCLB, GLS, and common rust, but susceptible to CLS and southern rust.