The infection pressure of potato leafroll virus and potato virus Y in relation to aphid populations in Cyprus

Summary The infection pressure of two viruses, potato leafroll (PLRV) and potato virus Y (PVY), both common in seed potatoes grown in Cyprus, was determined in three experiments in 1982–83. Virus-free bait plants, of potato and four other species, were exposed weekly to field infection during the growing season (March–June), and then returned to an aphid-free glasshouse for symptom expression. Only tobacco plants produced clear symptoms enabling reliable assessment of PVY infection pressure. When assessed with ELISA or by tuber indexing, the potato plants were efficient baits for both viruses whose infection period commenced at emergence (mid March to early April) and ended within 6–7 weeks. The seasonal trend of aphid populations, determined with Moericke traps or 100-leaf counts, correspond to that of virus spread. Correlation and regression analysis of aphid and virus data implicated the alate form ofMyzus persicae as the principal vector of both viruses.     

Mating Type, Virulence, Aggressiveness and Metalaxyl Resistance of Isolates of Phytophthora Infestans in Poland

A total of 93 single-lesion isolates of Phytophthora infestans were collected from late blight diseased potatoes grown in several locations in Poland, in the years 2002–2004. They were tested for mating type, virulence, aggressiveness and metalaxyl resistance. Sixty one percent of the isolates was of the A1 and 39% of the A2 mating type. Regarding virulence, complex races predominated. Most of the isolates were highly and moderately aggressive. Among isolates, tested together with 38 previously collected (1995–2001) ones, 14.5% was metalaxyl resistant, 3.5% intermediately resistant and 82.0% of the isolates was sensitive to metalaxyl. In addition, 14 isolates tested with three simple sequence repeat markers showed high genetic diversity. These data indicate that Polish population of P. infestans is diverse and aggressive, with potential for sexual recombination and spreading of fungicide insensitivity.     

Transmission of potato virus Y by aphids trapped in potato crops in southern England

Summary Harrington et al. (1986) assessed the relative efficiency with which different aphid species transmitted potato virus Y (PVY), by trapping flying aphids on a net downwind of a plot of infected potatoes and transferring the aphids to tobacco seedlings. This paper reports the extension of that work over further seasons and identifies three more vector species,Aphis sambuci, Myzus cerasi andDysaphis sp. A method for determining the proportion of those aphids caught on the net that had landed and probed in the crop is suggested. The use of such information to improve a model of virus spread is discussed.     

Naturally occurring viral infections inSolanum brevidens andS. fernandezianum

Summary Two species of wild potato,S. brevidens andS. fernandezianum, were surveyed for six potato-infecting viruses in their natural habitats in the Puerto Montt Region and Robinson Crusoe Island of Chile, respectively. Potato viruses S (PVS), M (PVM) and X (PVX) and potato yellowing virus (PYV) were found in some clones of the Chilean Potato Germplasm Collection, whereas only one population ofS. brevidens out of six was virus-infected, namely by PVS. The cultivated potatoes on Robinson Crusoe Island were infected by PVS, PVM and PVX and infested byAulacorthum solani andMyzus persicae, whereasS. fernandezianum was infected by PYV and infested byA. circumflexum, A. solani andAphis spp.     

Possible geographical origin ofPhoma exigua var.foveata,the principal causal organism of potato gangrene

Summary The highlands of South America are the probable geographic origin for the potato gangrene fungusPhoma exigua var.foveata (Foister) Boerema which was found parasitizing plants ofChenopodium quinoa in the Altiplano area of Peru. In vitro studies showed no dissimilarities between it and the antibiotic ‘E’ producing virulent European isolates ofP. exigua var.foveata. It is as pathogenic to potatoes as the virulent European isolates but onC. quinoa andC. album it is more pathogenic than the European isolates. So far the fungus has not been found on potato tubers in South America and the reasons why gangrene problems have not arisen there are discussed.     

Impact of Phytosanitary Quality of Seed Potato and Temporal Epidemic Progress on the Phenotypic Diversity of Phytophthora infestans Populations

Altogether 365 isolates of Phytophthora infestans were sampled from potatoes propagated from seed potatoes of high (multiplied for two years in open field after meristem phase) and low (commercial certified seed multiplied for several consecutive years in open field) phytosanitary quality at different phases of epidemic progress during the growing seasons of 2001–2007 from field plots at two experimental institutes in Estonia, North-East Europe. High or low phytosanitary quality of seed potatoes had no effect on mating type ratio or response to metalaxyl in populations of P. infestans isolated from these two different groups of potato material. In contrast, the incidence of certain virulence factors, as well as the diversity of pathotypes, was very high in populations collected from potatoes propagated from low-quality seed in comparison to those from high-quality seed. The incidence of A2 mating type and fully metalaxyl sensitive strains was statistically significantly higher at the epidemic outbreak than later during epidemic progress. The incidence of most virulence factors and overall pathotype diversity were not affected by the temporal progress of the epidemic. Rare virulence factors 5 and 9 were more frequent at the outbreak of the epidemic and declined in the population during the course of epidemic.     

Survey ofPhytophthora infestans populations in Serbia: Mating type, metalaxyl resistance and virulence properties

Summary A total of 37 single-lesion isolates ofPhytophthora infestans were collected during 2000 from different potato growing regions in the central part of Serbia. They were paired in Al and A2 matings to determine their mating types. Of these 37 isolates, 28 were found to belong to the A2 mating type, eight to the Al type and one was found to be self-fertile (A1/A2). Using the in vitro mycelial radial growth method no metalaxyl resistantP. infestans isolate could be found. The rate of occurrence of intermediate isolates was not high, on the average 2.70%. All other isolates were sensitive to metalaxyl. There was no correlation between mating type and the intermediate metalaxyl resistance found.     

Performance of Dimethomorph + Mancozeb Applied to Seed Potatoes in Early Management of Late Blight (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis>)

Treating seed potatoes with contact fungicides prevents infection of Phytophthora infestans from tuber to tuber during handling but does not prevent field infections in the young plant. Dimethomorph (DMM) 9% + mancozeb 60% (Acrobat MZ, BASF) can cover both aspects due to the contact and systemic action of mancozeb and DMM, respectively. Experiments were performed under greenhouse and field conditions (three seasons and two locations) with cvs Kennebec, Shepody, Spunta, Russet Burbank, and Ranger Russet. Immediately after cutting, seed pieces were treated with Acrobat MZ at doses equivalent to 2, 3, and 4 kg ha⁻¹. At any dose, Acrobat MZ protected healthy seed tubers against P. infestans infections. Acrobat MZ (4 kg ha⁻¹) also protected the foliage of all cultivars against artificial inoculation of P. infestans, assessed by the detached-leaf method. These effects were observed up to 30 days after emergence in greenhouse experiments and up to 28 days after crop emergence under field conditions in two growing seasons. In cv Spunta, significant foliage protection was observed up to 35 days after field emergence whereas in seed tubers of cv Kennebec planted in sandy soils, significant foliage protection persisted longer. Additional evidence for acropetal translocation of Acrobat MZ in field crops was also found. With this strategy, there is no need to apply contact or systemic fungicides early in the season, and spraying costs and environmental risks are also reduced.     

Phenotypes ofPhytophthora infestans in Nepal: mating types and metalaxyl sensitivity

Summary Potato late blight has appeared in epidemic proportions in Nepal since the mid 1990s and fungicides have been reported to be decreasingly effective in managing the disease.Phytophthora infestans isolates were collected from potato crops during 1999–2000 and analysis of 371 isolates for mating types and 270 isolates for metalaxyl sensitivity revealed the presence of both new and old populations. This is the first report on the presence of metalaxyl-resistant isolates in Nepal. The frequencies of A1 and A2 were 83 and 17%, respectively. Metalaxyl-resistant, intermediate and sensitive isolates were recorded as 10%, 12% and 78% respectively. Metalaxyl resistance was distributed in both mating types. Sites with a history of metalaxyl use had a significantly higher number of resistant and intermediate isolates ({ie337-1}, P<0.01) than sites where metalaxyl had not been used. This study confirms the changes in population structure ofP. infestans in Nepal.     

Sporulation ofPhytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary on the surface of diseased potatoes and tuber to tuber spread of infection during handling

Summary Laboratory experiments and observations in commercial stores showed that viable sporangia ofPhytophthora infestans can be produced on infected potato tubers of different cultivars. Infection was also found to spread from diseased to healthy tubers during handling.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> Isolates from Jersey,Channel Islands

Potato production on the island of Jersey, in the English Channel, is dominated by Jersey Royal, a selection of the early cultivar International Kidney. Jersey Royal is very susceptible to Phytophthora infestans, the cause of potato late blight, and Jersey’s climate is frequently conducive to infection. During 2004–2006, isolates of P. infestans were obtained from Jersey Royal plant samples from 41 different sites (24 crops, one infected tuber, 16 volunteers) and from five outdoor tomato crops and characterised by mating type, mtDNA haplotype, Gpi and Pep allozyme genotype, metalaxyl resistance and RG57 fingerprint. A subset of 17 isolates was additionally characterised by simple sequence repeat (SSR). All but one isolate from potato belonged to a single A1 multilocus genotype or a variant. The five isolates from tomato represented three distinct genotypes, none of which was found on potato and included one which was A2 mating type. The populations of P. infestans on potato and tomato in Jersey appear distinct, with that on potato being highly clonal.     

Characterisation of Phytophthora infestans Isolates Collected from Potato and Tomato Crops in Tunisia During 2006–2008

Severe late blight epidemics in Tunisia in recent years prompted population studies on the pathogen responsible for this disease, Phythophthora infestans. Characterisation of 165 Tunisian P. infestans isolates collected from 2006 to 2008 was performed for the mating type and mt haplotype, while subsets were analysed for metalaxyl sensitivity (n?=?65), virulence on differential set of 11 R genes of Solanum demissum (n?=?31), aggressiveness on cv. Bintje (n?=?36) and measurement of the radial growth on agar medium at three temperatures (n?=?38). Most isolates from potato and all isolates from tomato had the A1 mating type. The A2 mating type was detected in the north-east and northern areas, but not in the north-west. All the A2 mating type isolates were metalaxyl resistant and seem to be part of a new generation of the P. infestans isolates which are more aggressive, with more complex races, and tolerant to higher temperatures. The increased severity of epidemics during 2006 to 2008 can be attributed to favourable weather conditions during growing seasons, adaptation of new genotypes, widespread phenylamide resistance in potato production regions and most probably incorrect spray programmes. In contrast to the presence of complex pathotypes in two major potato crop regions (north-east and northern areas), the P. infestans population detected in the other regions and in tomato crops was still relatively simple. Compared with the situation in Europe and the American continent, or even compared with neighbouring countries such as Algeria, the genetic changes in Tunisia are still comforting and require strict management decision on late blight control to avoid the spread of new P. infestans populations from Europe or neighbouring countries.     

Variation in tuber pathogenicity ofPhytophthora infestans in the Netherlands

Summary Variation in aggressiveness to tubers among isolates ofPhytophthora infestans sampled from three potato growing regions in the Netherlands was compared. Variation in the ability to infect tubers of cv. Bintje was found between isolates of each of the three regional populations. The most aggressive isolate of the old population matched the average level of the new population in its ability to infect tubers. As a consequence, the commonly used reference isolate VK 6C can no longer be considered to be representative of the present population ofP. infestans. Therefore it is recommended that testing tuber resistance for the official list of potato cultivars with this isolate should be discontinued. Tuber infection and subsequent spread of the fungus in the tuber tissues were not found to be correlated. The components of tuber pathogenicity studied were not correlated to pathogenicity factors in the foliage, as measured under growth chamber conditions.     

Reaction toPhytophthora infestans of potato genotypes with race-specific resistance

Summary Phytophthora infestans isolates collected in Poland in 1987–1995 were evaluated on detached leaflets of a differential series consisting of potato genotypes possessing resistance genes R1–R11. On the same differentials was evaluated over three years a highly virulentP. infestans isolate MP 245. Isolate MP 245 and those from natural populations ofP. infestans were seldom or inconsistently pathogenic to R5, R8 and R9. When leaflets of the differentials were infected with MP 245 the lesions were often small and sporulation weak. A statistically significant interaction was found between years and pathogenicity of MP 245 to individual differentials. Attempts to train the isolate MP 245 for pathogenicity to R9 were unsuccessful. The variation in specific resistance of potato genotypes may complicate the evaluation of their resistance toP. infestans, as well as the evaluation of the virulence spectrum of natural fungus populations. This variation may be due to changes in specific pathogenicity of the fungus or in specific resistance of the potato. Some differentials have a possibly useful resistance toP. infestans.     

Frost resistant potato hybrids viaSolanum acaule,Bitt. Diploid-Tetraploid crosses

Solanum juzepczukii Buk. andSolanum curtilobum Juz. et Buk. are two important primitive cultivated species of potato which are planted in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. Little natural variation exists within these species. Crosses were made to artificially recreate these species using tetraploid cultivated potatoes as female parents and triploids derived from acaule-diploid crosses as males. The new hybrids were tetraploid (2n = 48) with a high degree of heterosis and variability, and several potential cultivated clones possessing valuable characters such as yield, earliness, frost tolerance and good tuber type were selected.     

The geographical distribution,inheritance and pest-resisting properties of sticky-tipped foliar hairs on potato species

Summary Near Cochabamba in Bolivia, plants ofSolanum berthaultii with sticky-tipped foliar hairs only have been collected but further south near Sucre, both sticky-tipped and pointed-tipped forms of this species and ofS. tarijense occur. Further south still, in Tarija, and in the border region of Argentina, only pointed-tippedS. tarijense has been collected but at Salta sticky-tippedS. tarijense has been found. InS. tarijense andS. herthaultii, the presence of sticky-tipped hairs (for which an aqueous fluoroscein solution is a selective stain) on adult foliage is controlled by a single dominant gene: plants with this character were more resistant to the aphidMyzus persicae and to the miteTetranychus urticae, and trapped more of the thripsThrips tabaci. In addition to the dominant gene, at least one set of recessive genes was needed for the full expression of this character in crosses withS. phureja and withS. tuberosum ev. Pentland Crown.T. urticae were trapped on second-generationS. tuberosum × berthaultii with this type of hair. Part of this work was done at the International Potato Center (CIP), Apartado 5969, Lima, Peru.     

Assessment of mating types and resistance to metalaxyl of Canadian populations ofPhytophthora infestans in 1997

The distribution of A1 and A2 mating types, and of metalaxyl-sensitive (MS), metalaxyl-intermediate (MI), and metalaxyl-resistant (MR) strains ofPhytophthora infestans, the causal pathogen of late blight, were determined in Canada in 1997. Potato plants or tubers and tomato plants or fruits, suspected to have late blight infection, were received from seven Canadian provinces in 1997, and were assessed for the presence ofP. infestans. Among 220 samples suspected to have late blight,P. infestans was recovered from 132 samples (60%) received from British Columbia (BC), Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. From the 132 samples, 364 isolates were obtained and tested for their mating type and response to metalaxyl. Populations ofP. infestans within Canadian provinces were homogeneous for mating types, except within BC, where populations comprised both A1 and A2 mating types both within fields and sometimes within samples. The A2 mating type was found in all provinces where late blight was present. The A1 mating type was found only in Manitoba (1 isolate) and in BC (38 isolates). Unlike the old A1 isolates, those found in BC in 1997 were highly resistant to metalaxyl. These A1 isolates are even more resistant than A2 isolates. Based on assays with 10 ug.ml^?1 of metalaxyl, 14% of all tested isolates were MS, 69.8% were MI and 16.2% were MR. In addition, all provinces contained MS, MI, and MR isolates. No specific mating type or metalaxyl sensitivity level were specific to tomato or potato.     

Forty years of potato research: highlights, achievements and prospects

Summary The highlights and achievements of 40 years of potato research in agronomy; genetics, breeding and varietal assessment; physiology; pathology (including nematology); virology; engineering; and utilization are reviewed and the prospects for new developments are analysed. In all disciplines progress has been impressive and has changed the potato industry dramatically. Yet, some old problems remain unsolved (Phytophthora infestans, blackspot) or are returning (cyst and other nematodes) and new problems have arisen (e. g. volunteer potatoes, new strains of PVY, virulent cold-resistant strains ofPseudomonas solanacearum). The potato industry faces new challenges from society (environmentally safe production) and the consumers (improved quality). Farmers, researchers and processors have access to many new exciting techniques, tools and opportunities, such as precision farming, genetic engineering, molecular detection and analytical techniques, integrated chain management, novel preservation and processing methods. The problems and opportunities both warrant a continued effort in potato research.     

禾谷多黏菌传小麦病毒病的分布及变化动态

为给小麦黄花叶病毒（Wheat yellow mosaic virus,WYMV）和中国小麦花叶病毒（Chinese wheatmosaic virus,CWMV）病的科学防控提供相关技术参考,于2008-2010年采用普查结合ELISA检测和电镜观察等方法,对这两种禾谷多黏菌传小麦病毒病的分布进行了研究。结果表明,WYMV重病区呈现向西、向北扩展的新趋势,发现山东泰安、河南商丘、湖北丹江口、襄樊、随州等新病区,四川省仅在内江发生。江苏省两种病毒复合侵染区正在扩大,浙江病区基本消失。     

Reevaluation of the potato aphid,Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), as vector of potato virus Y

The effectiveness of the potato aphid,Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), to transmit potato virus Y (PVY) to potato has generally been overestimated because tobacco has been used as the indicator host. Our results demonstrate that, although apterousM. euphorbiae can acquire PVY from potato and tobacco plants and transmit it to tobacco plants, it does not readily transmit it to potato plants. Alatae only transmitted the virus to 4.5% of potato plants. This relative inability to transmit the virus to potato seems independent of potato cultivar. Results suggest that the role of the potato aphid in the spread of PVY in potatoes may be negligible.