Identification of a 118-kb DNA fragment containing the locus of blast resistance gene Pi-2(t) in rice

Rice blast disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Pyricularia grisea Sacc., is one of the most devastating crop diseases worldwide. Previous studies have shown that the dominant blast resistance gene Pi-2(t) confers resistance to a broad spectrum of pathogenic strains. Using a population of 292 recombinant inbred lines combined with bioinformatic analysis, we mapped Pi-2(t) between the SSR (simple-sequence repeat) marker SSR140 and the RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) marker JSH12, 0.9 cM from both SSR140 and JSH12. A physical map consisting of six overlapping BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) clones was anchored to the region containing the Pi-2(t) locus. By analyzing recombination events in this region, the Pi-2(t) locus was localized to a DNA fragment of 118 kb in length. The detailed genetic and physical maps of the Pi-2(t) locus will facilitate both molecular isolation of the gene and marker-assisted transfer of the gene in breeding programs.