Slow-growth conservation of potato microplants: efficacy of ancymidol for long-term storage in vitro

Ancymidol was investigated as an alternative mediumsupplement to mannitol for slow-growth conservation ofpotato microplants in vitro. Differentconcentrations of ancymidol (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30,35 and 40 M) were tested in slow-growthmedia based on MS medium supplemented with either 30or 60 gl^-1 sucrose. The cultures were conservedunder a 16-h photoperiod at two temperature regimesi.e. 24 ± 1 ^°C and 6 ± 1 ^°C. Therewere significant interactions between ancymidol andother factors such as sucrose, temperature andgenotype for microplant survival, microshoot heightand overall microplant growth. Ancymidol did have abeneficial effect on culture viability after prolongedmaintenance in vitro. The growth-inhibitingeffect of ancymidol persisted through a 16-monthculture period. Combined effect of ancymidol, sucroseand temperature showed that optimum culture viabilityand desirable microplant growth were obtained when thecultures were grown in MS medium supplemented with 10M ancymidol plus 60 gl^-1 sucrose at6 ± 1 ^°C. Vitrification and flaccidity, whichare very frequently observed in potato microplantcultures during prolonged maintenance in vitrounder osmotic stress (mannitol), were not observedwhen the microplants were conserved in ancymidolmedia. Genetic stability of potato microplantsconserved in ancymidol media was evaluated usingrandomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)fingerprints. Ancymidol did not induce any detectablegenetic variation in genomic DNA as visualized by theabsence of either any additional RAPD fragment oralterations in RAPD fragment patterns.     

Effectiveness of in vitro selection for agronomic characters in potato

Effectiveness of in vitro selection for agronomic characters was studied by finding correlation coefficients between in vitro and in vivo performance of 22 potato genotypes. Evaluation was performed under eight in vitro and two in vivo conditions. Genotypic differences were highly significant for various characters under all in vitro and in vivo conditions. Error mean squares were much lower in in vitro experiments than in in vivo experiments. In vitro selection was found to be highly effective for tuber colour, stem pigment and number of eyes, and moderately effective for average tuber weight, plant vigour and foliage senescence under specific conditions. The results also indicated the possibility of in vitro selection for heat tolerance. For tuber yield and number of tubers, effectiveness of in vitro selection was low to very low, because differences in phenotypic expressions of genotypes were much enlarged under in vitro conditions compared to under in vivo conditions. Correlation coefficients for certain characters were better when in vitro conditions were closer to in vivo conditions. To improve the efficiency of in vitro selection, there is perhaps a need to simulate and identify the in vitro conditions under which genotypic differences are reflected in phenotypes more realistically as they are expressed under in vivo conditions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Correlation between Potato Clones Grown in vivo and in vitro under Sodium Chloride Stress Conditions

Salinity is one of the most serious and widespread agricultural problems resulting in losses of yield and arable land. One strategy available to cope with saline soil is to choose salt-tolerant crops or to select salt-tolerant cultivars within a crop. Difficulties in breeding for salt tolerance arise from its polygenic control and from the variable salt composition and distribution in the soil. An in vitro approach for screening large amounts of parental material is suggested and the present results confirm previous work conducted on in vitro response of the potato to a high level of sodium chloride. Furthermore, a highly significant correlation was found between in vitro growth parameters and field performance of ten potato clones.     

Genetic divergence for cross prediction in potato

To study the effectiveness of genetic divergence for cross prediction in potato, progeny means, heterosis and specific combining ability effects were correlated with parents’ genetic distances (D values) estimated under six in vitro and four in vivo conditions, for tuber yield in 72 crosses (18 × 4) of 22 parents under autumn crop conditions for three successive generations. Genetic distances under in vitro conditions had no relationship with the progeny means for tuber yield. Whereas, those under in vivo conditions in the autumn seasons were positively associated with the progeny means. Similarly, heterosis for tuber yield had a stronger relationship with genetic distances based on an in vivo crop than those based on an in vitro crop. All correlation coefficients between genetic distances and specific combining ability effects were non-significant. The magnitudes of the significant correlation coefficients showed that genetic divergence can be used as an indirect parameter of moderate effectiveness in selecting parents to produce heterotic high yielding progenies. Such cross predictions, however, would be effective only if parents are evaluated under the conditions similar to those under which crosses are likely to be evaluated. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic analyses for bioactive potential in tetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

A total of four traits related to bioactive potential of the tetraploid potato were studied in a North Carolina II cross‐experiment. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for target bioactive compounds in a tetraploid potato population, to determine phenotypic and genotypic correlations and to calculate combining ability effects of cultivars and breeding lines included in the crossing scheme. Total monomeric anthocyanins, phenolics, carotenoids and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity were measured by spectrophotometric methods. The sources of variation female (GCA_f), male (GCA_m) and their interaction (SCA) were significant for bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. Narrow‐sense heritability estimates (h²) were moderate for all the traits (0.413–0.657). Both phenotypic and genotypic correlations were highly significant for phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. As regards combining ability, positive and negative GCA and also SCA effects have been identified for bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. These results indicate that hybrid breeding lines can be obtained by choosing parents with significant GCA, whose bioactive potential can also be further enhanced if the crosses have a significant SCA.     

The use of systems analysis and modelling of growth and development in potato ideotyping under conditions affecting yields

Annual crops are usually only grown during part of the year when environmental conditions are favourable. The factors that limit the length of the available growing season for a crop are discussed from the points of view of meteorology, crop physiology and crop management. Crop yields that may be expected depend on the length of the growing season, how well the available season is used by a growing crop and on environmental factors that define (e.g. temperature, daylength and solar radiation), limit (e.g. the availability of water and nitrogen) or reduce (e.g. pests and diseases) yields. Designing genotypes for such environments requires quantitative knowledge of the influence of environmental factors on the length of the season and on dry matter accumulation and partitioning. This approach is discussed and as example the potato crop is used grown under various climatic conditions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

B_9、PP_(333)和ABA对芋头种质离体保存的影响研究

为延长芋头试管苗的保存时间,提高试管苗的成活率,以槟榔芋丛芽为试验材料,采用3种不同浓度的生长延缓剂和不同的温度和光照培养条件对芋头试管苗成活率的影响进行研究。结果表明,在常温(25±2)℃光照培养条件下,PP333、ABA和B9的最佳处理浓度分别为2.0、2.0、1.0 mg/L;在低温(5±1)℃光照培养条件下,PP333、ABA和B9的最佳处理浓度分别为1.0、1.0、0.5 mg/L;在低温(5±1)℃暗培养条件下,PP333、ABA和B9的最佳处理浓度为1.0、1.0、0.5 mg/L。与常温光照培养相比,低温光照培养的芋头试管苗成活率更高,生长延缓剂的最佳处理浓度也相对更低。与低温光照培养相比,低温暗培养的芋头试管苗的存活率相对更高,两者的处理浓度相同,但低温暗培养提高了芋头试管苗的存活率。通过离体保存的试管苗恢复生长后,长势旺盛,与对照株无明显差异,3种植物生长延缓剂均能有效提高芋头试管苗的成活率。     

Genetic gain from early generation selection for cold chipping genotypes in potato

Early generation selection for chip colour may accelerate potato chipping cultivar development. The research objective was to measure the response from early generation selection for light potato chip colour. Progeny from 175 4×× 4× families were propagated to the field using greenhouse grown tubers or seedling transplants. Tubers from progeny were made into potato chips after 3 and 6 months’ storage at 4° C. Chip colour was rated as 1 = light to 10 = dark. Genotypes were categorized as retained (≥ 4) or discarded (> 4) based on the 6‐month chip colour, then field grown a second year at two locations and re‐evaluated for chip colour. Positive selection responses resulted, but were lower in the seedling transplants. Interaction between genotype and environment, and genotype and storage duration reduced responses. Selected genotypes should be evaluated over multiple environments and storage conditions to insure reliable performance. Expanding variation by introgressing favourable alleles from wild species may further enhance breeding success.     

Effectiveness of selection for quality traits during the early stage in the potato breeding population

Potato cultivars resistant to cold‐temperature sweetening are of major importance to the processing industry producing both chips (crisps) and French fries. When most modern potato cultivars are maintained in cold storage to retard sprouting, the tubers accumulate reducing sugars, and the products become an unacceptable brown colour when fried. Selection for better processing quality during the early generations of a breeding programme could be of considerable advantage. Using a portable ‘sugarmeter’, which requires only a drop of sap from the tuber on a test strip, many samples can be efficiently surveyed for low sugar as early as the F₁ generation. Using seedlings of three test crosses, glucose and specific gravity of field‐grown tubers, minitubers from greenhouses and microtubers from in vitro culture were compared after cold treatment. Although the mean glucose levels of minitubers and microtubers were higher than field‐grown tubers, the correlation between the glucose contents of the three types of tubers was fairly high. A considerable genetic improvement was noted when progenies were grown as minitubers or microtubers, even though the response to selection for low glucose levels in minitubers and microtubers was lower than from direct selection from field‐grown tubers. The specific gravity of field‐grown tubers showed a significant association with freshly harvested minitubers and microtubers. Selection for low glucose content in minitubers can therefore save considerable resources in a breeding programme.     

温度和渗透压对苹果试管苗延缓生长法种质保存的效应

以富士、乔纳金试管苗为试材,通过在继代培养基中加入不同浓度的蔗糖、琼脂、甘露醇提高渗透压或置于不同温度下,筛选合适的延缓生长的条件。试验结果表明：低温条件抑制试管苗生长效果明显,适宜的低温处理为接种后在25℃培养室条件下缓苗5～10d移至8℃培养,可延长保存时间至1年半以上,茎尖成活率达100%;提高培养基琼脂、蔗糖浓度或添加甘露醇都能提高培养基渗透压,抑制试管苗生长,且随浓度增加,抑制作用愈发明显,但琼脂、甘露醇处理中有部分茎尖死亡;综合比较,8℃低温、60 g/L蔗糖处理延缓试管苗生长效果较好。同一处理下品种间有差异,富士延缓生长的效果好于乔纳金。     

Heritility of field resistance to potato leafroU virus in cultivated potato

Potato progenies in a line x tester mating design and the clonal parents were screened for field resistance to potato leafroll virus (PLRV) to determine the heritability of this trait. Twelve advanced potato clones or varieties were crossed as pistillate parents to two pollen testers. The seedling progenies and clonal parents were exposed to aphid-transmitted potato leafroll virus for two growing seasons. Cumulative infection by potato leafroll virus was determined by post-season sero-logical indexing of foliage grown from sprouted tubers after 2 years of exposure. Narrow-sense heritability was estimated from regression of mid-parent on progeny as h = 0.72. This estimate indicates a high level of useabie genetic variance for PLRV resistance in advanced breeding materials. Although variation in resistance to PLRV appears to be a quantitative trait in susceptible and moderately resistant clones, per-formance of the most resistant parents suggests that genes with major effects may be present. These results are similar to the conclusions of other researchers who found one or two genes controlling the pheno-types of extreme resistance, resistance to infection, or suppression of virus titre.     

Growth and marketable-yield responses of potato to increased CO2 and ozone

Central to the CHanging climate and potential Impacts on Potato yield and quality project (CHIP) was the consideration of the potential impacts of ozone and CO₂ on growth and yield of future European Potato crops. Potato crops, cv. Bintje, were exposed to ambient or elevated ozone; targeted daily average, 60 nl l⁻¹ for 8 h, and ambient or elevated CO_2; targeted 680 μl l⁻¹ averaged over the full growing season, in open top chambers (OTCs) at six European sites in 1998 and 1999, or to elevated CO₂ (550 μl l⁻¹) in Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment facilities (FACE) at two sites in both years. Some OTC experiments included 550 μl l⁻¹. Above and below ground biomass were measured at two destructive harvests; at maximum leaf area (MLA) and at final-harvest. Final-harvest fresh weight yields of marketable-size tubers, >35 mm diameter, from ambient conditions ranged from 1 to 12 kg m⁻². There was no consistent (P>0.1) CO₂×O₃ interaction for growth or yield variables at either harvest. No consistent effects of ozone were detected at the maximum-leaf-area harvest. However, at final harvest, ozone had reduced both above-ground biomass and tuber dry weight (P<0.05), particularly of the largest (>50 mm) size class. These yield losses showed linear relationships both with accumulated ozone exposure; AOT40 expressed as nl l⁻¹ h over 40 nl l⁻¹, and with yields from chambered ambient-ozone treatments (P<0.05) but, because of partial confounding between the treatment AOT40s and the ambient-ozone yields in the data, the two relationships were not completely independent. Yields from ambient-ozone treatments, however, explained a significant (P<0.01) amount of the residual variation in ozone effects unexplained by AOT40. When averaged over all experiments, mean dry weights and tuber numbers from both harvests were increased by elevated CO₂. Only green leaf number at the MLA harvest was reduced. The CO₂ responses varied between sites and years. For marketable-size tubers, this variation was unrelated to variation in ambient-CO₂ treatment yields. Yield increases resulting from the 680 μl l⁻¹ and 550 μl l⁻¹ treatments were similar. Thus elevating [CO₂] from 550 to 680 μl l⁻¹ was less effective than elevating [CO₂] from ambient to 550 μl l⁻¹. On average, CO₂ elevation to 680 μl l⁻¹ increased the dry weight of marketable-size tubers by about 17%, which far exceeded the average ozone-induced yield loss of about 5%. The net effect of raising CO₂ and O₃ concentrations on the European potato crop would be an increase marketable yield.     

PP_(333)、GA_3和BA对马铃薯试管苗生长调节作用的研究

针对马铃薯试管苗在继代培养中,苗生长细长、瘦弱和叶嫩黄等现象,在培养马铃薯的培养基中附加不同浓度的生长调节剂PP_(333)(mg/1,单位下同)、GA_3、BA、GA_3+BA、PP_(333)+GA_3、PP_(333)+BA和PP_(333)+GA_3+BA等进行培养壮苗的试验.加入PP_(333)各处理对试管苗的高、茎粗和增绿效应明显,但高浓度的PP_(333)对试管苗生长过于抑制;加GA_3对PP_(333)有拮抗作用.适宜浓度的PP_(333)+GA_3+BA能培养壮苗,并促进侧芽分化,增加叶面积、叶绿素含量和干物质的累积.各处理对马铃薯试管苗的抑制生长效应为PP_(333)>PP_(333)+BA>PP_(333)+GA_3>PP_(333)+GA_3+BA>BA>GA_3>GA_3+BA;生理效应和移栽苗成活率的顺序为PP_(333)+GA_3+BA>PP_(333)+GA_3>GA_3+BA>PP_(333)+BA>GA_3>BA>PP_(333).     

马铃薯PIF家族成员鉴定及其对高温胁迫的响应分析

植物光敏色素作用因子(phytochrome interacting factors,PIFs)属于碱性-螺旋-环-螺旋(basic helix-loop-helix,bHLH)转录因子家族,通过将光和温度等外部环境信号与植物体内源信号途径相整合,进而形成复杂的信号转导网络来精密调控植物的生长发育进程。目前,关于马铃薯PIF家族基因的研究较少,鉴定和分析StPIF家族成员有助于进一步提高马铃薯的产量和品质。本研究运用生物信息学方法,以拟南芥PIF家族成员蛋白序列作为源序列,通过在马铃薯基因组数据库中进行BlastP分析鉴定出7个StPIFs家族成员,并对其进行系统进化、染色体分布、复制事件、蛋白理化性质、基因结构、Motif预测、启动子顺式作用元件、基因表达模式以及对高温胁迫的响应分析。结果显示,StPIF家族所有成员均含有Motif 1 (bHLH结构域)、Motif 2 (APB结构域)基序;在StPIF基因的启动子区域预测到多个参与光响应、激素、干旱、低温、昼夜节律以及防御和应激反应调控元件;基因表达模式和现蕾期高温胁迫响应分析表明,家族成员具有明显的组织表达特异性,基因存在功能...     

Widespread introgression of Solatium phureja DNA in potato (S. tuberosum) dihaploids

Dihaploids were assumed to be of parthenogenic origin but cv. ‘Pentland Crown’ dihaploids produced at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI), Dundee, Scotland, are known to contain DNA from the S. phureja dihaploid inducer. This study investigates whether inducer DNA occurs in dihaploids of cultivars ‘Aminca’, ‘Brio’, ‘Lizen’ and ‘Sirtema’, produced at INRA, Ploudaniel, France. Two microsatellite markers and five simple sequence repeat 5′-anchored polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were used to generate markers. Markers originating from the dihaploid inducer were detected in 13 of the 19 INRA dihaploids and in some dihaploids from each cultivar. Greater introgression occurred in ‘Lizen’ dihaploids than in ‘Brio’ dihaploids, suggesting that the female (S. tuberosum) parent influences introgression. The percentage of INRA dihaploids containing inducer DNA was similar to that for ‘Pentland Crown’ dihaploids (c. 65%). The micro-satellite markers provided the first evidence of the transfer of specific, potentially useful, genes from the inducer to the dihaploid offspring. Interspecific introgression during dihaploid induction is more widespread than previously thought and researchers should be aware that it may influence the results of research using dihaploids.     

Development of SCAR markers linked to the Ns locus in potato

A random amplified polymorphic DNA marker OPG17₄₅₀ linked to the Ns gene that confers resistance of potato to potato virus S (PVS), was used to develop sequence‐characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. After cloning and sequencing of OPG17₄₅₀ new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were designed to generate dominant (SCG17₃₂₁) and codominant (SCG17₄₄₈) markers. For SCG17₄₄₈, polymorphism between susceptible and resistant genotypes was recovered after digestion of the marker with the restriction enzyme Muni. In addition to the band corresponding to ‘susceptible’ allele that does not contain the Muni cleavage site, two bands of approximately 251 bp and 197 bp were observed in the resistant genotypes. The usefulness of these SCAR markers was verified in diploid potatoes possessing the Ns locus from clone G‐LKS 678147/60, and in tetraploid potatoes derived from G‐LKS 678147/60 and from clone MPI 65118/3.     

Changing climate and potential impacts on potato yield and quality ‘CHIP’: introduction, aims and methodology

Climate change effects caused by an increasing concentration of CO₂ and ozone represent an issue of major concern both for scientists and policy-makers. In a concerted program funded by the Commission of the European Union, a European network of experiments (in open-top chambers (OTC), and free air carbon dioxide enrichment systems (FACE)) and modelling was carried out to investigate the effects of increasing atmospheric CO₂ and ozone concentrations, under different climatic conditions, on potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Bintje). This contribution describes the experimental network and the standard protocol set-up for the assessments that served to improve and to validate process oriented potato growth simulation models leading to scenarios of future productivity of potato in Europe.     

Potential and Actual Yields of Potato at Different Elevations and in Different Seasons in Subtropical Southwest China

Potential potato yields of nine spring and five autumn seasons at elevations ranging from 150 to 2650 m asl in subtropical China were assessed by a simple growth model and compared with attainable and experimental (actual) yields. Generally, both potential and actual yields were higher at higher elevation because of cooler temperatures and longer growing periods. The spring crops showed higher potential and actual yields but had lower light use efficiencies than the autumn crops, especially at higher altitudes. Specific relationships were given for relevant potential and attainable yields over altitudes and seasons. Light use efficiency declined with ascending elevation during the autumn season. The ratio actual: potential yields (range0.25–0.56) and the ratio actual: potential light use efficiency (range 0.34–0.70) were low because of drought stress, hot temperatures in the low elevations, presence of diseases and pests, low quality seed, and lack of adequate fertilization.     

In vitro and in vivo genetic parameters and character associations in potato

Relative behaviour of genetic parameters and character associations for in vitro and in vivo systems was studied by evaluating 22 potato genotypes for seven morpho-agronomic characters under six in vitro and four in vivo conditions. There was considerable similarity between in vitro and in vivo systems with regard to pattern of coefficient of variation (both phenotypic and genotypic), heritability (broad sense), genetic advance (as% of mean) and correlation coefficients (both phenotypic and genotypic) between characters. The magnitude of various genetic parameters was higher under in vitro than in vivo conditions, particularly for tuber yield and its components. Treatment-to-treatment variation in genetic parameters and character associations was higher under in vivo than in vitro conditions. In vitro selection for agronomic characters in potato may be possible. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.