Effect of planting date and inoculum level on incidence and severity of powdery scab on potato

Summary Powdery scab incidence and severity was examined on six potato cultivars planted at two different dates in a naturally infested field. There were two sub-plots; one where seed was exposed prior to planting to spores ofSpongospora subterranea from scabby peels, which were then added to the furrow at planting, and another where seed was exposed only to natural inoculum within the field. The later planting data reduced incidence and severity, but there were no differences between sub-plots. All cultivars became infected, but ‘Rosa’ was the most susceptible and ‘Katahdin’ the most resistant. Contribution No. 1720, Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station. Authorized for publication September 22, 1988 as Journal Series Paper No. 8007.     

A comparison of laboratory and field reactions of a range of potato cultivars to infection withSynchytrium endobioticum (Schilb.) Perc.

Summary A comparison of reactions of potato cultivars toS. endobioticum indicated that the degree of susceptibility observed in laboratory tests correlated well with the reaction of cultivars in field tests. Some cultivars found to be less resistant (Resistance Grade 2) in laboratory tests produced winter spores in the field test, and 10% of those derived from cv. Ausonia germinated in distilled water. Compost from the field plot was estimated to contain 14–18 apparently viable spores/g. and this resulted in 100% infection of the highly susceptible cv. Arran Chief. The implications of these findings for descheduling sites previously scheduled due to wart infestation are discussed.     

Comparative susceptibility of some potato cultivars to dry rot caused byFusarium sulphureum andF. solani var.coeruleum

Summary The susceptibility of 15 potato cultivars to dry rot caused byFusarium sulphureum andf. solani var.coeruleum was examined over 8 years. Tubers were wounded, inoculated, incubated at 10°C for 7–8 weeks and the size of the rot assessed.F. sulphureum was the more aggressive species. There was little correlation between the rank order of susceptibility of the cultivars to the two pathogens, but a higly significant correlation between years. Two years' tests are deemed sufficient to assess susceptibility to both species.     

Defence reactions in two potato cultivars following infection with two races ofPhytophthora infestans

Summary The kinetics of accumulation of chitinases, glucanases and phytoalexins were studied in two potato cultivars, differing in their degrees of vertical and horizontal resistance, when infected with two races ofPhytophthora infestans. Tuber disks of cvs Kennebec (susceptible, low horizontal resistance) and Huinkul (tolerant, high horizontal resistance) were infected with either race “0” (avirulent) or “C” (complex, race 1.3.5.7.11) ofPhytophthora infestans. Extracts of tuber tissue (0–7 days) from cv. Kennebec infected with race “0” showed a strong increase in phytoalexin production and in chitinase and glucanase activities when compared with those infected with race “C”. These results indicate that race “C” is able to block defensive reactions. No significant differences were observed in cv. Huinkul infected with both races. The contribution of these reactions to horizontal resistance is unknown, and our results would not support a conclusive role for them in the interaction.     

Field performance of potato microtubers as propagation material

Summary In five field trials with the cultivars Gloria (early), Bintje (mid-early) Désirée (mid-late) and Morene (late), crops grown from conventional 28–35 or 35–45 mm seed were compared with crops grown from microtubers, of various sizes and from various sources, that had been producedin vitro. The following means to quicken initial crop development from the micropropagated material were tested: large microtubers, plastic soil cover, and transplanting of plantlets grown from microtubers pre-planted in a glasshouse. Crops grown from microtubers weighing less than half a gram yielded much less than crops grown from conventional seed crops but their yields were increased by each treatment. With the later-maturing cultivars, which generally produce few tubers per plant, the yields within seed grades from plants grown from transplanted microtuber plants were comparable with those of conventional crops. Reasons are given, why direct planting of microtubers, with or without plastic foil, is not a practical option.     

Amylolytic activity in stored potato tubers. 2. The effect of low-temperature storage on the activities of α-and β-amylase and α-glucosidase in potato tubers

Summary Tubers of the potato cultivars Record, Wilja, Pentland Dell and Brodick (formerly clone 137371) were sampled before and after storage at either 4°C or 10°C. Reducing sugar content stayed constant during storage at 10°C in all four cultivars but rose greatly during the first 6–12 weeks of storage at 4°C in Record, Wilja and Pentland Dell but not in Brodick. Amylolytic activity was determined after 5 weeks storage using blockedp-nitrophenyl maltoheptaoside as substrate for α-amylase,p-nitrophenyl maltopentaoside as substrate for β-amylase, andp-nitrophenylglucopyranoside as substrate for α-glucosidase. The values obtained from tubers stored at 4°C were higher than those from tubers stored at 10°C, the differences being much less in Brodick than in the other three cultivars.     

Post-harvest characteristics of potato minitubers with different fresh weights and from different harvests. II. Losses during storage

Summary Storage losses were studied in minitubers of cvs Agria and Liseta, using five fresh weight classes (<0.50 g, 0.5–0.99 g, 1.00–1.99 g, 2.00–2.99 g, ≥3.00 g), and three successive harvests of the same plantlets. After each harvest, tubers were dired at room temperature (1 day), curred at 18 °C (13 days) and stored at 2 °C (540 days). Two kinds of storage losses were considered: (a) losses of entire tubers because of deterioration, and (b) fresh weight losses of the other tubers. Both kinds of losses were higher in cv. Liseta, in tubers with lower fresh weights and in tubers from the first harvest. Almost all minitubers ≥0.5 g from later harvests and from both cultivars survived storage for 1.5 years. Deterioration occurred mainly from 6 to 12 months of storage. Tubers which deteriorated during cold storage had already shown high weight losses during curing.     

Laboratory screening for resistance to gangrene and toFusarium dry rot in potato

Summary For laboratory screening for resistance to gangrene andFusarium dry rot, the ‘scrape and paint’ method was compared to a ‘prick and paint’ method. In the latter method the potatoes were wounded before inoculation by rolling them over a group of nail points. The disease scores increased when the length of the nail points was increased from 2 to 6 mm, but the scores were lower than for scraped potatoes. For the 10 cultivars used, the results for the pricked and the scraped potatoes correlated equally well with the results from a ‘field inoculation’ method. The two laboratory methods discriminated equally well between resistant and susceptible cultivars. However, pricking is much less laborious than scraping. In routine tests with the ‘prick and paint’ method, differences between cultivars were highly significant over three years for resistance to gangrene but less significant forFusarium dry rot.

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Zusammenfassung Für die Laborprüfung auf Resistenz gegenPhoma-Faule (Phoma exigua var.foveata) undFusarium-Trockenf?ule (Fusarium solani var.coeruleum) wurde die ‘scrape and paint’-Methode von Wiersema (1977a) mit einer ‘prick and paint’-Methode verglichen, wobei Kartoffeln vor Inokulation durch Rollen über eine Gruppe von Nagelspitzen, 1 cm auseinander und von einer h?lzernen Basis aufw?rtsweisend, besch?digt wurden. Für beide Krankheiten stieg der Krankheitsindex an, wenn die L?nge der Nagelspitzen von 2 auf 4 und 6 mm anstieg, war im Ganzen jedoch niedriger als bei geschürften Kartoffeln (Tabellen 2 und 4). Für die zehn für jeden Erreger in den Versuchen verwendeten Sorten korrelierten die Ergebnisse bei ‘prick’ (Rollen über Nagelspitzen) und ‘scrape’ (Schürfen) gleichermassen mit einem vermutlich besser zu verwirklichendem Feld-Inokulationstest (Bjor, 1980), dessen Ergebnisse in Tabelle 1 dargestellt sind. Die Unterscheidung von Sorten unterschiedlicher Resistenz war mindestens so deutlich beim ‘prick’ — wie beim ‘scrape’-Test, wie die F-Werte für Sorten in der Varianzanalyse zeigen (Tabellen 2 und 4). Darüberhinaus ist die ‘prick’-Methode betr?chtlich weniger arbeitsaufwendig als die ‘scrape’-Methode. Die ‘prick and paint’-Methode mit 4 mm-Nagelspitzen ergab Unterschiede zwischen 14 Standard-Sorten in Routinetests aus drei verschiedenen Jahren beiPhoma-F?ule, aber nicht so gut beiFusarium-Trockenf?ule (Tabelle 6). Die Korrelation zwischen den Ergebnissen nach der ‘prick and paint’-Methode und dem Feld-Inokulationstest bei den 14 Sorten warr=0,86 undr=0,71 beiPhoma-bzw.Fusarium-F?ule. Allerdings war die Variation innerhalb der Sorten bei Resistenz gegenPhoma-F?ule betr?chtlich gr?sser als die bei Resistenz gegenFusarium-Trockenf?ule.

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Résumé Le criblage au laboratoire pour la résistance à la gangrène (Phoma exigua var.foveata) et à la pourriture sèche fusarienne (Fusarium solani var.coeruleum) est réalisé selon deux méthodes. La méthode du ‘grattage et du badigeonnage’ est comparée à celle de la ‘piq?re et du badigeonnage’ où les pommes de terre sont blessées avant l'inoculation en les faisant passer sur un groupe de 10 clous distants de 1 cm, orientés vers le haut et fixés sur un support de bois. Pour les deux maladies, la note de maladie augmente quand la longueur de la pointe des clous passe de 2 à 4 et 6 mm, mais les tubercules blessés par piq?res sont moins malades que ceux ayant subi des égratignures (tableaux 2 et 4). Pour les 10 cultivars inclus dans les expériences pour chacune des maladies, les résultats des tubercules blessés par chacune des 2 méthodes sont également corrélés avec ceux d'un test ‘inoculation au champ’, plus s?r (Bjor, 1980) figurant au tableau 1. Le classement des cultivars de différents niveau de résistance est aussi clair à partir des tubercules blessés par piq?re que ceux blessés par grattage comme le montre la valeur du F pour les cultivars, des analyses de variance (tableaux 2 et 4). De plus, la méthode des piq?res est beaucoup moins fastidieuse que la méthode par égratignures. La méthode des piq?res avec des pointes de clous de 4 mm reproduit les différences entre 14 cultivars de référence inclus dans des tests de routine depuis 3 ans pour la gangrène, mais de fa?on moins nette pour la fusariose (tableau 6). La corrélation entre les résultats obtenus avec la méthode des piq?res et le test ‘d'inoculation au champ’ pour les 14 cultivars estr=0,86 etr=0,71, respectivement pour la gangrène et la fusariose. En outre, la variabilité des cultivars pour la résistance à la gangrène est considérablement plus grande que celle vis-à-vis de la fusariose (Figure 1).

     

Physiological effects of calonyctin on development and yield of potato

Summary Foliar sprays of calonyctin, a natural plant growth regulator extracted from the leaves ofCalonyction aculeatum (L.) House, at a concentration 0.05 activity units, increased the tuber yield of six potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars by 7–19% (mean 15%) during 1993 and 1994. Physiological differences between calonyctin-treated and untreated potato plants were usually detected 30–40 days after spraying them with calonyctin. The chlorophyll content of treated potato leaves increased, and the chlorophyll a:b ratio decreased. By 40 days after treatment the root oxidizability and soluble protein contents of different parts of the plants also increased. Their subsequent decline as the plants aged was inhibited by calonyctin. It is concluded that calonyctin delayed the senescence of potato plants and increased tuber growth at later stages of development.     

Evaluation in pot and field trials of resistance of potato cultivars and breeding lines to common scab caused byStreptomyces scabies

Summary The resistance to common scab of nine cultivars and eight advanced breeding lines of potatoes, fiveSolanum andigenum Juz. et Buk. clones, and three potato breeding lines selected for resistance to common scab, was investigated in a field and a pot trial. In the pot trial potaroes were planted in inoculated coarse river sand in plastic pots (150 mm in diameter) placed on irrigated subsoil in a glassfibre house. In a field trial potatoes were planted in an artificially infested field. The harvested tubers were scored individually for scab incidence according to two scales, viz. a 1–5 point scale for percentage surface covered with scab and a 1–3 point scale for lesion type. A scab index value was calculated for each tuber. A significant correlation coefficient of 0.82 was obtained for the results of the two 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     

Improving production and health of seed potato stocks in Italy

Summary When nodal explants from sprouts grown from virus-free tubers of ten cultivars were propagated on half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium, cvs Arsy, Nicola, Kennebec and Spunta grew best. Rooted plantlets, 5–8 cm tall, were transplanted from culture vessels into pots containing soil, vermiculite and sand. They were weaned by growing in a glasshouse for about three weeks. Over 90% of the plantlets survived and these were then planted in the field and protected against aphids by a double screen (a large tunnel covering four adjacent small tunnels) and chemical treatments. Prebasic seed tubers thus obtained were virus-free and production ranged from 49.9 t.ha⁻¹ (‘Monalisa’) to 27.1 t.ha⁻¹ (‘Majestic’). A survey showed that ‘elite’ (near virus-free) seed could be produced from prebasic seed by early planting and early haulm killing regardless of location, but late planting on the plains and normal planting dates on the mountains resulted in 1 to 5% virus infection levels acceptable only for certified seed.     

Biochemical Composition and Indigestible Oligosaccharides in Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seeds

Common beans have a high nutritional value, but contain galactooligosaccharides (GO), which cause flatulence and intestinal discomfort in humans. The biochemical composition of ten bean cultivars was determined to select those of high protein and low GO contents. The cultivars varied in carbohydrate (47.02–60.17%), GO (3.12 – 5.71%), protein (22.17–33.50%), lipid (1.13–1.81%), moisture (11.42–12.93%) and ash contents (4.08–5.61%). ‘Mexico 222’ presented the highest α-galactosidase activity. Protein and GO contents were positively correlated. ‘Perry Marrow’ combined high protein and low GO concentrations, indicating it can be used in improvement programs aiming at high-quality cultivars for human consumption.     

Somaclonal variation in tuber traits of potato

Summary About 13,000 somaclones of 17 cultivars and clones of potato were obtained from in vitro callus cultures and individually planted in a greenhouse, followed by tuber generations grown in the field. These plants were subjected to the multistage selection procedure commonly used in potato breeding. Over a period of five years and three field generations the tuber number, size, shape, eye depth, starch content, starch yield and tuber appearance of these somaclones were assessed and compared with that of the controls. These characters varied depending on donor genotype and trait. The frequency of variants was assessed and there were acceptable proportions of desirable abberrants and invariants among the somaclones. Depending on trait the average gain rate for all donor genotypes ranged between 0.2 and 2.3% for-deviants, between 12.2 and 15.5% for invariants and between 0.1–1.4% for +deviants. It is concluded that this technique should be used into potato breeding programmes to improve commercially important characteristics of specific cultivars and breeding clones.     

Analysis of potato microtuber proteins by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Summary Protein banding patterns of 119 lines (85 Japanese potato lines and introductions, 22 dihaploids, 1 wild source (Solanum bulbocastanum Dun.), 10 transformants and 1 somaclonal variant) were compared by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Microtubers formed in vitro were used as the source of plant materials. There were more than 15 bands in the 35–20 kDa molecular weight range and less than 10 bands in the 65–40 kDa range. The bands in the 65–40 kDa range which corresponded to the potato tuber storage protein patatin were focussed to about 40 kDa after heat treatment. The results indicate a distinct difference in the banding patterns among potato lines.     

Impact of Agronomic Strategies (Seed Tuber Pre-sprouting,Cultivar Choice) to Control Late Blight (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis>) on Tuber Growth and Yield in Organic Potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis> L.) Crops

In order to optimize potato crop management in organic farming systems, knowledge of crop growth processes in relation to limitations and reductions by nitrogen (N) and disease is necessary. This paper examines the effect of different prevention measures (seed tuber pre-sprouting, choice of cultivars: resistance to Phytophthora infestans; earliness of tuber initiation) against disease-related constraints on yields, depending on the N-mediated growing conditions of organic potato crops. Under conditions of a relatively high N supply, accelerating the early development and tuber initiation of potato crops by seed tuber pre-sprouting (yield increase of c. 18–23%) or the selective choice of cultivars with an earlier tuber initiation (yield increase of c. 0–21%) are the most effective strategies in combating late blight. They bring forward the crop development c. 7–10 days, escaping the negative impact of the fungus on tuber growth. Under conditions of a relatively low N supply, these strategies do not affect final tuber yield. The reason for the differences of the effect depending on N supply of the crops is, that the lower the N supply, the shorter the period of time over which tuber growth takes place, independent of whether P. infestans becomes severe or not. Tuber growth of organic crops low in N has mostly ceased by the time late blight becomes potentially important for limiting yield, with the consequence that preventative measures against P. infestans are meaningless. Surprisingly, the level of cultivar haulm resistance to late blight did not affect tuber yields in years with an early and strong late blight development. Probably, the positive effect of a longer resistance to the fungus (c. 1 week) was counterbalanced by a later tuber initiation (also c. 1 week). In years with a moderate late blight incidence, less susceptible cultivars were able to produce higher tuber yields on fields with a lower N availability (c. 17–20%), probably due to higher N use efficiency and a better match of N mineralization and N uptake. Under conditions of a relatively high N supply, the tested cultivars with a higher haulm resistance to late blight were not able to improve tuber yields.     

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.     

Simple linear relationship between dry matter,specific gravity,and tissue specific gravity in a diploid potato breeding population

Summary Two hundred clones were randomly selected in 1988 and in 1989 from a hybrid population ofSolanum phureja andSolanum stenotomum to determine the relationship between specific gravity (SG) and percent dry matter (%DM), and between tissue specific gravity (TSG) and %DM. The objectives were: (1) to determine the dry matter prediction equation for a diploid potato population, (2) to determine whether estimates of %DM and efficiency of selection for %DM could be improved by measuring TSG, and (3) to determine the influence of year on the estimates. In 1988 the prediction equation for the relationship between %DM and SG was %DM=198.71 (SG-191.30,r=0.85. Ranges and means for the variables were: (1) %DM: 16.99–32.67, mean 25.16; (2) SG: 1.054–1.122, mean 1.089. In 1989 the relationship of %DM and SG was predicted as %DM=194.46(SG)-187.53,r=0.87; whereas the relationship of %DM and TSG was predicted as %DM=196.77(TSG)-192.91,r=0.87. Ranges and means for the variables were: (1) %DM: 10.68–34.57, mean 21.32; (2) SG: 1.030–1.122, mean 1.074; (3) TSG: 1.046–1.141, mean 1.089. Slopes were not significantly different between any of the prediction equations, but intercepts were significantly different. Estimates of %DM were not improved by measuring TSG. Year did influence the relationship between %DM and SG.     

Assessing potato cultivars in Tunisia for susceptibility to leak caused byPythium aphanidermatum

Summary The susceptibility of 21 potato cultivars to leak (watery wound rot) caused byPythium aphanidermatum was compared. Whole tubers were inoculated after wounding by dipping into a water suspension of 10³ oospores/ml and incubated for 3 days at 25°C. The mean penetration of tissue calculated from the recording of lesion width and depth and the qualitative assessment of rot extension were highly correlated. For 10 of 12 cultivars tested at least twice, consistent reactions were obtained: cvs Korrigane. Superstar, Safrane and Yesmina were moderately susceptible, whereas Atlas, Diamant, Mondial, Obélix, Spunta and Timate were susceptible to highly susceptible. Tubers originated from two locations and/or two cropping seasons: thus, the performance of these cultivars under different production conditions reveals a satisfactory level of agreement with the test. Moreover, ratings assigned are supported by field or store observations.     

The effect of water stress on the yielding capacity of potato crops and subsequent performance of seed tubers

Summary The effect of water stress on yielding capacity of potatoes was studied in 3 years using four different levels of soil water potential (0.7, 1.9, 3.4 and 7.8 atm.) in experiments in specially adapted structures that excluded uncontrolled water supply. Seed tubers from these crops were planted in the following years to investigate effects of water stress on their subsequent performance. Limited soil moisture availability decreased yield and the number and size of tubers. The growing period was shortened by 1–4 weeks and dormancy period by 2–8 weeks. In the following year, seed produced under conditions of moisture stress gave plants with 20% fewer stems. 24–33% less yield, 18–22% fewer tubers and 19–22% fewer large tubers than plants from seed produced under abundant water supply. It is concluded that the yield potential of seed tubers can be improved by careful attention to the availability of soil moisture during their production.