Fusarium dry-rot resistant potato germplasm

The level ofFusarium dry-rot resistance found in important potato varieties has been improved with agronomically acceptableSolanum tuberosum genotypes. Three breeding selections, A74114-4, A76260-16, and BR6316-7 were highly resistant to the two commonFusarium dry-rot species (F. roseum Lk ex Fr. f. sp.sambucinum Fs], andF. solani var.coeruleum (Sacc), Booth Fc]). Resistance was determined separately for each of these species. Resistance to Fs was genetically distinct from resistance to Fc since there was no correlation between Fs and Fc reaction for 180 progeny clones from six crosses representing all combinations of resistance. Resistance to each of theseFusarium species was readily transmitted to progeny. Seventy-five percent of the progeny from resistant X resistant parents were also resistant to Fs, while 95% of the progeny from susceptible X susceptible parents were susceptible. Mixed infections withErwinia atroseptica and eitherFusarium species resulted in a qualitative change from a resistant reaction to a susceptible reaction. Bacterial interaction withFusarium spp. is, therefore, an important consideration in determining storage-rot resistance.