In vitro evaluation of resistance of potato cultivars toPhytophthora infestans

Summary The resistance of ten potato cultivars (Agria, Ajax, Désirée, Liseta, Kennebec, Majestic. Monalisa, Prima, Spunta and Tonda di Berlino) toPhytophthora infestans was analyzed in vitro using 8 fungal strains. An assay based on electrolyte leakage was used for screening leaves and tuber tissues with fungal culture filtrates. With almost all cultivars the resistance of leaves did not correlate with the resistance of tubers. Cv. Ajax appeared the least susceptible in both leaf and tuber tests, while the cv. Prima was the most susceptible in tuber tests.     

Breeding potato cultivars with tubers resistant toPhytophthora infestans

Summary Available information has been reviewed on tuber resistance toP. infestans, its inheritance and breeding procedures used to obtain potato cultivars superior in this character. P. infestans is worldwide the most destructive potato pathogen. Tuber resistance is an essential component of potato resistance as this pathogen is often responsible for tuber rot in storage, and infected tubers of susceptible cultivars provide an important way for its overwintering. In Europe many cultivars and advanced breeders selections have been obtained with tuber resistance toP. infestans, but in the last decades no progress is noted in the mean level of this resistance in cultivars. The expression of tuber resistance depends to a large extent on testing conditions and therefore it can be difficult to evaluate. Consequently making progress in breeding is not easy, and also cultivar assessment data from various countries sometimes differ considerably. It is concluded from published data that it should be easier to make progress in breeding potato cultivars with resistant tubers if more attention is paid to combining the various types of resistance which are already known, and if the genetic determination of durable resistance toP. infestans is better understood. Professor Dr. K.M. Świeżyński passed away on 27th July 2000     

Partial resistance toPhytophthora infestans in fourSolanum crosses

Thirty progeny from each of fourSolanum crosses were evaluated in the field at Mount Vernon, WA, in 1996 and 1997 for partial resistance toPhytophthora infestans. Of the four parents, three have high levels of partial resistance toP. infestans; one derived from somatic hybridization ofS. bulbocastanum, the other two from traditional breeding efforts for multiple disease resistance. Data were collected from each cross to estimate area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), days to 5% disease severity threshold (DT₅), and sporangia production (SP). All of these variables differed significantly among the progeny within each cross in each year. Correlation analysis indicated that DT₅ was highly correlated with AUDPC for all four populations for both years. Log-transformed SP was significantly (P>0.001) correlated to AUDPC values for one population in both years, but the significance of the correlation was variable between years for the remaining three crosses. The variable DT₅, which is composed of three components (infection efficiency, latent period, and lesion growth rate), was the most important in identifying progeny with partial resistance to late blight in all four crosses in this study.     

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.     

Variation in resistance toPhytophthora infestans among 21Solanum verrucosum plant introductions

Detached leaflets of 21Solanum verrucosum plant introductions (PIs) were inoculated with two races ofPhytophthora infestans to evaluate levels of resistance present within this species. Inoculated leaflets were visually evaluated for the percentage area colonized byP. infestans and the intensity of sporulation over the colonized area. Disease reactions ranged from moderately susceptible to highly resistant (immune). Significant plant-to-plant heterogeneity for resistance was observed within many of the PIs, indicating that they may represent mixtures of different genotypes. Hypersensitive flecks were observed on some inoculated leaflets of all PIs tested. Adult plant reactions showed moderate agreement with those obtained by other workers on seedling populations of several PIs. These results support the hypothesis that R-genes and polygenes for resistance toP. infestans exist withinS. verrucosum accessions. This species thus may provide a useful source of novel late blight resistance genes.     

Effect of temperature and photoperiod on symptoms associated with resistance toPhytophthora infestans after leaf penetration in susceptible and resistant potato cultivars

The effect of temperature and photoperiod on the expression of resistance against Phytophthora infestans in five potato cultivars with and without resistance (R) genes was investigated. Four experiments were carried out under controlled conditions in growth chambers. Two cultivars (393295.236 and 391046.22) without known R genes from the International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima, Peru, two Mexican cultivars with major R genes (Tollocan and Malinche), and a susceptible cultivar (Atlantic) were used in this study. Plants were grown for 32 days in growth chambers at two temperatures (16 and 24 C) and two photoperiods (12 and 16 h day length), then inoculated with a compatible isolate of P. infestans and incubated in a mist chamber at 18 C. The inoculation efficiency, the percentage of lesions that did not grow beyond the inoculation spot, the sporangia density, and the AUDPC were recorded. The percentage of arrested lesions decreased with temperature in the two most resistant cultivars (393295.236 and Malinche), and the AUDPC was lower at 16 than at 24 C in four of the five cultivars. The inoculation efficiency and the sporangia density were not affected by change in temperature. Sporangia density increased at 16 h photoperiod; however, the final infected leaf area was not affected. Our results demonstrate that the expression of horizontal and vertical resistance was affected by temperature; however, the relative resistance ranking among cultivars was the same in the four experiments with different temperatures and photoperiods. It is assumed that the resistance in the Mexican cultivars may be conferred by minor resistance genes and by the residual effect of defeated R genes. These results emphasize the difficulty in differentiating between horizontal and vertical resistance.     

Susceptibility toPhytophthora infestans of field-and glass-house-grown potato tubers

Summary Tests for resistance toPhytophthora infestans were done twice in each of 2 years on field- and glasshouse-grown tubers of ten cultivars. The cultivar rankings, were almost identical for the means of the four glasshouse tests and the means of the four field tests. However, for the field tests but not for the glasshouse tests there were cultivar x harvest date and cultivar x year interactions. It is concluded that resistance can be assessed on glasshouse-grown tubers and that such assessments should prove more consistent over years than those done on field-grown tubers. R.L. Wastie died 16.1.96     

Peroxidase activity; a potential criterion in breeding for field resistance toPhytophthora infestans

Summary The results of other experiments (cited in the references) showed that peroxidase activity (PA) in clones (cultivars or hybrids) was correlated with field resistance to late blight in uninoculated plants. In contrast, in our experiments where PA was tested in seedlings before inoculation and 5 and 15 days after it, the correlation was found only with PA data recorded after infection. Negative and positive correlations with PA were found, respectively, when the population structure was expressed in four size classes (before inoculation) or of attack intensity (after inoculation).     

Component analysis of general resistance toPhytophthora infestans in clones from the Colombian potato collection

Summary Studies on the level of resistance to entrance and resistance to invasion within leaves indicated that the best genotypes in the Colombian material reached the level of cv. Record. No significant differences in resistance were found betweenS. tuberosum ssp.andigena andS. phureja clones. Resistance to entrance and resistance to invasion were correlated.

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Zusammenfassung Von 29 S?mlingen, die aus Selbstbefruchtung von 12 verschiedenen Klonen hervorgingen, wurden zwischen ein und fünfzehn Pflanzen auf Resistanz gegen das Eindringen und auf Resistenz gegen das Ausbreiten derPhytophthora infestans ins Blattwerk untersucht (Tablle 1). Die beiden Komponenten der Blattresistenz waren korreliert (r=0,63^***, Abb. 1). Keine signifikanten Unterschiede wurden im Ausmass der Blattresistenz zwischen den Klonen vonS. tuberosum ssp.andigena undS. phureja gefunden. Ein Vergleich mit den Feldresistenz-Standards zeigte, dass nur die besten Genotypen der kolumbianischen Kollektion den von der Sorte Record erbrachten mittleren Resistenzgrad erreichten (Tabelle 2).

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Résumé Une à quinze plantes, issues de 29 plants provenant de l'auto-pollinisation de 12 cl?nes différents ont été testées pour leur résistance à l'invasion du feuillage (tableau 1). Les 2 composants de la résistance foliaire sont corrélés (r=0,63^***, fig. 1). Aucune différence significative n'a été trouvée dans les niveaux de résistance foliaire entre les cl?nes deS. tuberosum ssp.andigena etS. phureja. Une comparaison avec les témoins de référence résistants au champ indique que seulement les meilleurs génotypes des collectes de Colombie atteignent le niveau moyen de résistance de la variété Record (tableau 2).

     

Comparative analysis of quantitative trait loci for foliage resistance toPhytophthora infestans in tuber-bearingSolanum species

Previously published data for potato foliage resistance to late blight were examined in a combined analysis to determine how the genetic backgrounds of the host and pathogen affect the occurrence of resistance QTLs. Data from 19 diploid populations and one tetraploid population that originated from at least 12 different tuber-bearingSolanum species were included. Comparative analysis across all populations revealed three highly active genomic regions on the distal parts of chromosomes 3,4, and 5. The region most consistently detected that conferred foliage resistance inSolanum was located on chromosome 5, near marker locus GP21. A previously identified cluster of three race-specific R-genes on chromosome 11 was not associated with polygenic resistance. Statistical examination of active QTLs indicates that congruence among QTLs is significantly affected by both genetic relatedness of mapping populations and race ofPhytophthora infestans used for resistance tests. The proportion of congruent QTLs for late blight resistance decreased from 0.52 detected in relatedSolanum populations tested with the same race ofPhytophthora infestans to 0.20 found in unrelated mapping populations tested with different races ofPhytophthora infestans. Analysis of resistance mapping tests provided statistical evidence for the occurrence of race-specific QTLs in tuber-bearingSolanum. The highly conserved genomic regions identified in the comparative analysis are likely to be good candidates for gene cloning or marker assisted selection in potato breeding programs.     

Antifungal activity toPhytophthora infestans of sesquiterpenoids from infected potato tubers

Summary The sesquiterpenes 2-(1',2'-dihydroxy-1'-methylethyl)-6,10-dimethyl-spiro-[4,5]dec-6-en-8-on (1) and its 2'-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2) were isolated from the stress zones of potato tubers infected withPhoma foveata andFusarium spp., and rishitin and solavetivone from tuber slices inoculated withErwinia carotovora. The influence of these compounds, and of the naturally occurring plant sesquiterpenoids abscisic acid, cedrol and farnesol, on the mycelial growth ofPhytophthora infestans were tested on agar plates using a defined medium. All sesquiterpenoids suppressed the growth of the pathogen, except for1 and its glucoside2 which induced a slight, however significant, growth stimulation. Compounds1 and2 could not be isolated fromE. carotovora orP. infestans-inoculated tuber tissue.     

Foliar reaction toPhytophthora infestans in inoculated potato field trials in Michigan

Late blight, caused byPhytophthora infestans, is the most important disease of potato worldwide and foliar resistance is an important component of managing late blight in the field. The objective of this research was to identify germplasm for use in breeding cultivars with foliar resistance toP. infestans. More than 500 clones were tested from 1997 to 2002 in inoculated (US8 genotype) field experiments conducted at the Michigan State University Muck Soils Research Farm in Bath, Michigan. All of the current commercial cultivars tested were classified as susceptible toP. infestans. The most resistant clones were A90586-11, AWN86514-2, B0718-3, Jacqueline Lee (MSG274-3), MSI152-A, MSJ307-2, MSJ317-1, MSJ453-4Y, MSJ456-2, MSJ456-4, MSJ461-1, MSK101-2, MSK128-1, NY121, LBR8, LBR9, Tollocan, and Torridon. Some of these resistant selections were from crosses with B0718-3, Jacqueline Lee, and Tollocan suggesting that the resistance toP. infestans was transmissible. These resistant clones will provide the opportunity to breed late-blight-resistant cultivars from a diverse pool of cultivated germplasm. Consistent foliar reaction toP. infestans over years suggested that the Michigan State University Muck Soils Research Farm is a valuable location for North American breeders to assess the reaction of potato germplasm to the US8 genotype of late blight.     

Reaction of potato tuber slices toPhytophthora infestans in relation to physiological age

Tuber resistance toPhytophthora infestans was studied in relation to physiological age in tubers of the cultivars Atzimba, Katahdin, Kennebec, and Sebago. Resistance to race1,2,3,4 was evaluated in freshly harvested tubers, and tubers stored at 5 C for up to 215 days. Atzimba tubers were highly resistant when freshly harvested but became increasingly susceptible as they aged physiologically. Tubers of the other three cultivars were susceptible when freshly harvested and also when aged. Further, 57 tuber selections from among 11 crosses initially gave resistant reactions. However, after storage for six months at 5 C, 26.3% of the selections remained resistant, 22.8% were moderately resistant, 31.6% moderately susceptible, and 19.3% fully susceptible.     

Disease management implications of age-related changes in susceptibility of potato foliage toPhytophthora infestans

Epidemics of potato late blight progressed more slowly in plots of intermediate-aged plants than in plots of older plants. The suppression of epidemics achieved by intermediate-aged plants relative to old ones was equivalent to the suppression achieved by weekly applications of chlorothalonil of as much as 0.30 kg a.i./ha. The age effect on epidemic development was most noticeable for late-season cultivars and least noticeable for early-season cultivars.     

Inheritance of resistance toFusarium spp. and toPhytophthora infestans in crosses between Neotuberosum and Tuberosum potatoes estimated by seedling tests

Summary Neotuberosum clones with differing levels of resistance toFusarium coeruleum andFurarium sulphureum, and putative resistance toPhytophthora infestans, were selected and used in crosses with Tuberosum clones. The resulting progenies were assessed for their resistance to each of these pathogens and for breeders' preference. There was little correlation between disease scores for the twoFusarium species (r=0.21 and 0.34 for the Neotuberosum and hybrid clones respectively), indicating that resistance to each species is distinct. Statistical analyses revealed differences between the Neotuberosum parents and between the Tuberosum parents for all traits, but the Neotuberosum differences for late blight were not significant (P=0.10–0.05) when tested against the interaction between the two sets of parents. The interaction was significant forF. coeruleum and breeders' preference, but notF. sulphureum. No reciprocal differences were found. The only statistically significant correlation between traits for the 72 progenies was a small one (r=0.33; P=0.01–0.001) between the twoFusarium species; for all other pairs of traits r was less than 0.10. It is concluded that there are good prospects for combinding resistances to the twoFusarium species from different sources and also for achieving high levels of other desirable characteristics.