Postharvest suppression of potato dry rot (Fusarium sambucinum) in prenuclear minitubers by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculum

Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) have been shown to increase plant resistance to root-rotting pathogens. This study was conducted to determine whether a commercial peat-based medium containing the AM fungusGlomus intraradix (Schenck & Smith) could influence postharvest progression of tuber dry rot in prenuclear minitubers of potato (Solanum tuberosum). Minitubers grown in this medium had significantly less tuber dry rot (20–90% reduction) when later inoculated with the dry rot fungusFusarium sambucinum relative to minitubers grown in an identical peat-based medium without the AM fungus. This disease suppression was also demonstrated in a high-input commercial greenhouse, and occurred despite only trace levels of AM colonization of the parent plants, and with no evidence of enhanced plant phosphorus nutrition or differences in minituber mineral content. These results suggest that the AM fungal inoculum has potential for use in suppression of tuber dry rot of potato.     

Resistance to powdery dry rot (Fusarium sulphureum) in potato tubers

Summary Fourteen cultivars were tested for resistance to penetration and colonization byF. sulphureum by a point inoculation technique. Differences in resistance to penetration were small when compared with those reported forF. solani var.coeruleum, and were more apparent in one year than another. Tubers grown at different sites gave similar results. The medullary tissue was generally more susceptible than the cortex. There were large differences between cultivars in resistance to colonization and these were consistent between years and sites. A selection derived from a cross between established cultivars was more resistant than its parents.

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Zusammenfassung Um die Resistenz von 14 Kartoffelsorten gegenFusarium sulphureum zu prüfen, wurde eine Punktinokulationsmethode verwendet, die der von Pietkiewicz & Jellis (1975) für Phomaf?ule beschriebenen Methode ?hnelt, das Inokulum bestand aber aus 100 Konidien in 0,01 ml sterilem Wasser und die Inkubation betrug 4 Wochen. Die zu prüfenden Knollen stammten von zwei Herkünften und sieben der Sorten werden in zwei Jahren getestet. Die Eindringungsresistenz wurde durch Bonitur der F?ulen, die mehr als 2 mm über die Verletzungen hinausgingen, erfasst und die Ausbreitungsresistenz in der Rinde durch eine Gesamtbonitur jeder Wiederholung, bei der eine 1–3 Skala verwendet wurde: 1=2–20 mm Durchmesser, 2=20–40 mm, 3=>40 mm. Nicht verwertet wurden F?ulen unter 2 mm im Durchmesser. Insgesamt waren King Edward, Record und Pentland Squire signifikant weniger anf?llig gegenüber der Eindringung als die anderen geprüften Sorten (Tabelle 1) aber keine Sorte besass eine hohe Resistenz. Die Ergebnisse waren zwischen den Herkünften, dem Gewebe und den Jahren vergleichbar, aber die Unterschiede zwischen den Sorten waren in einem Jahr deutlicher als im anderen. Das Markgewebe war im allgemeinen gegen die Eindringung anf?lliger als die Rinde. Die Rangfolge für die Ausbreitungsresistenz war zwischen den Herkünften konstant und wenn auch geringer, zwischen den Jahren (Tabelle 2). Sorten mit Eindringungsresistenz hatten geringe Boniturwerte für die Ausbreitung, aber das umgekehrte stimmte nicht immer. Erste Prüfungen von selektiertem Zuchtmaterial zeigten, dass in der Familie B31, die aus (Pentland Crown x Maris Piper) x Pentland Squire gezüchtet wurde (Tabelle 3a), Resistenz vorhanden sein k?nnte. Ein Wiederholungstest im folgenden Jahr best?tigte, dass der Klon B31/46 eine deutlich h?here Eindringungsresistenz in der Rinde aufwies als King Edward und erfolgreiche Inokulationen ergaben nur kleine Faulzonen (Tabelle 3b). Daraus wurde geschlossen, dass es erfolgversprechend ist, auf Resistenz gegenFusarium sulphureum zu züchten unter Verwendung der in den britischen Sorten vorhandenen genetischen Variabilit?t.

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Résumé Une technique d'inoculation par pointe a été appliquée sur 14 variétés de pommes de terre, afin d'étudier leur résistance àFusarium sulphureum. Cette technique est semblable à celle décrite par Pietkiewicz & Jellis (1975) pour la gangrène, mais la concentration d'inoculum est de 100 conidies par 0,01 ml d'eau stérile et l'incubation est de 4 semaines. Les tubercules testés proviennent de 2 régions et 7 variétés ont été étudiées pendant 2 années. La pénétration du parasite est évaluée en notant la proportion de pourritures se développant sur plus de 2 mm au-delà de la blessure, la surface du sympt?me est notée pour chaque répétition à partir d'une échelle de 1 à 3∶1= diamètre de 2 à 20 mm; 2=20 à 40 mm et 3= supérieur à 40 mm. Les pourritures d'un diamètre inférieur à 2 mm ne sont pas notées. Dans tous les cas, King Edward, Record et Pentland Squire sont significativement moins sensibles à la pénétration que les autres variétés testées (tableau 1), bien qu'aucune variété ne soit hautement résistante. Les résultats sont sensiblement comparables suivant les endroits, les tissus et les années, mais les différences entre les variétés sont plus nettes d'une année sur l'autre. Le tissu médullaire est en général plus sensible à la pénétration que le cortex. L'ordre de résistance au parasite est conforme suivant les endroits et sensiblement le même suivant les années (tableau 2). Les variétés présentant une certaine résistance à la pénétration ont des notes faibles au développement du sympt?me, mais l'inverse n'est pas toujours vrai. Des tests initiaux sous-abri à partir des sélections de plants ont montré une bonne résistance pour la famille B31, croisement de (Pentland Crown x Maris-Piper) x Pentland Squire (tableau 3a). Un test répété l'année suivante a confirmé la forte résistance à la pénétration dans le cortex du cl?ne B31/46 par rapport à King Edward et des inoculations réussies n'ont donné que de petites pourritures (tableau 3b). En conclusion, il est possible de sélectionner, en vue d'une résistance àF. sulphureum, à partir des variabilités génétiques disponibles au sein de variétés anglaises.

     

Freeing Russet Burbank potato plants from ring rot by stem cutting and tuber propagation

Apical stem cuttings removed from potato plants (cv. Russet Burbank) infected withCorynebacterium sepedonicum and expressing mild symptoms of bacterial ring rot were demonstrated to be free from the pathogen. This material remained free of ring rot through two additional stem cutting generations and when grown in the field for four successive tuber generations.     

Evaluation for chipping and tuber soft rot (Erwinia carotovora) resistance in potato clones from unilateral sexual polyploidization (2x × 4x)

The aim of this work is the evaluation of tetraploid potato clones with germplasm fromS. chacoense andS. phureja for chipping and resistance to tuber soft rot (Erwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora). Tetraploid potato clones were obtained via 2n eggs through 2x–4x crosses. Cytological mechanisms were investigated in the diploid hybrid 2n-egg producer used as parent in the unilateral sexual polyploidization scheme; the omission of the second meiotic division and cytokinesis failure at the end of meiosis were identified with a genetic consequence equivalent to second division restitution (SDR). Tuber marketable yield, specific gravity and chip-processing ability evaluated at harvest and after cold storage with and without reconditioning were higher in some clones as compared to theS. tuberosum tetraploid parent. Tuber soft rot resistance, contributed byS. chacoense, was successfully transferred to the4x level. After inoculation withErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora and estimation of the rotted area, one tetraploid clone proved to be resistant and three partially resistant. The genetic value of exotic germplasm and sexual polyploidization strategy are discussed in relation to potato improvement.     

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).

     

Evaluation of potato clones for resistance to tuber and stem rot induced byErwinia chrysanthemi

Tubers of 149 clones ofSolarium tuberosum subsp.andigena (andigena) from four self-pollinated (S₁) families (Jak 072, 702440, 700718 and Och 5331) obtained from true seed were rated for resistance toErwinia chrysanthemi. The clones were classified into four arbitrary categories based on disease reaction: resistant, intermediate, susceptible, and very susceptible. In family Jak 072, 23% of the clones were resistant and 61% intermediate. In family Och 5331, 22% of the clones were susceptible and 67% very susceptible; and in families 702440 and 700718, 38% and 29% of the clones were intermediate and 45% and 40% were susceptible, respectively. Tubers of 11 clones chosen to represent each one of the four categories were inoculated withE. chrysanthemi (Ech), E. carotovora subsp.carotovora (Ecc) andE. carotovora subsp.atroseptica (Eca). Clones responded similarly toEch andEca. However,Ecc induced significantly more rot thanEch orEca, presumably favored by the temperature of incubation (25°C). Clones Jak 072-17 and Jak 072-18 were resistant to the three bacterial pathogens. Above ground stems of 6 of the 11 selected clones inoculated withEch were susceptible to stem rot. No correlation was found between the response of tubers and above ground stems to tuber and stem rot induced byEch.     

Influence of seed tuber infestation,chemical seed treatment,and pre-harvest climate on incidence of gangrene and dry rot of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary In each of the five years 1978 to 1982, seed lots of cv. Bintje, variously infested byPhoma foveata Foister andFusarium solani var.coeruleum (Sacc.) Booth, as found by wound and cut tests, respectively, were planted in a series of field experiments at six sites in Sweden. A statistically significant relationship between seed and progeny infestation was found forP. foveata each year, and in three years forF. solani. Benomyl and thiabendazole mist treatments of seed tubers at grading in spring controlled the development of gangrene and dry rot in treated seed tubers, but did not consistently reduce the levels ofP. foveata andF. solani infestation in progeny from treated seed tubers. The site of cultivation markedly influenced mean levels ofP. foveata infestation, which were found to be related to temperature and rainfall during a 40 day pre-harvest period at the trail sites; however, mean levels ofF. solani infestation were not so related.     

Assessing potato cultivars for resistance to tuber soft rot (Erwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica) at four test centres in the UK

Summary Tuber slices of 15 cultivars were inoculated withErwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica on two occasions at four test centres and the results compared. Correlations in mean lesion diameter between inoculum concentrations, between the same test on different occasions, between centres and between cultivars in different tests were mostly significant in spite of small differences in procedure at each centre. Satisfactory agreement was reached between centres, particularly concerning the most resistant (Cara, Pentland Hawk) and most susceptible (Record, Wilja, Pentland Crown, King Edward) of the cultivars tested. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to results published elsewhere and to other methods of inoculation.     

Influence of temperature and length of storage on resistance of potato to tuber rot induced byErwinia chrysanthemi

Tubers of 11 clones ofSolanum tuberosum subsp.andigena (andigena) and 12 cultivars ofS. tuberosum subsp.tuberosum (tuberosum) were inoculated with water suspensions (5.5 × 10⁴ 5.5 × 10⁵, 5.5 × 10⁶ CFU/ml) ofErwinia chrysanthemi. Tubers were inoculated immediately after harvest and after 6 and 16 wk of storage at 4 and 23°C. Tuber rot incidence in andigena and tuberosum increased as inoculum concentration increased. Based on tuber rot severity, clones of andigena were classified as resistant, intermediate, or susceptible and cultivars of tuberosum were classified as intermediate or susceptible. Rot severity increased in all tubers stored at 4°C and in tubers of tuberosum stored at 23°C; rot did not increase in tubers of andigena stored at 23°C. Electrolyte leakage (EL), total sugars (TS), reducing sugars (RS), non-reducing sugars (NRS) and dry matter (DM) were determined in non-inoculated tubers. There was a significant positive correlation between the rate of EL, concentration of RS and tuber rot in andigena and tuberosum. Tuber rot and DM were negatively correlated in tubers of andigena; but they were not correlated in tuberosum. Clones of andigena with low EL, TS, RS, and high DM were resistant to tuber rot, and the incidence of tuber rot in these clones was much less influenced by temperature and length of storage. The influence of temperature and length of storage on susceptibility toE. chrysanthemi may be explained by increased cell membrane permeability; increased leakage of accumulated sugars in potatoes stored at 4°C could favor bacterial proliferation resulting in more disease.     

Contamination of soil and transmission of seedborne potato dry rot fungi (Fusarium spp.) to progeny tubers

A survey of selected potato soils in Maine was made to determine the species and populations ofFusarium spp. present.Fusarium solani ‘Coeruleum’ was most often isolated butFusarium roseum ‘Sambucinum’ was not recovered from any soil. Crops or cropping sequences in general showed no direct relationship to observed Fusaria populations or tuber dry rot. Field studies were conducted to determine the effect ofFusarium contaminated seed on soil and daughter tuber contamination. Whole and cut seed were inoculated withFusarium roseum ‘Sambucinum’ and half of each lot treated with thiabendazole (1500 ppm) to controlFusarium seed decay. Soil populations ofF. roseum ‘Sambucinum’ were higher near plants produced from non-treated, cut seed tubers. No increase inFusarium populations was found between plants or near plants produced from whole or thiabendazole treated seed. Daughter tuber contamination was greatest from plants produced from non-treated contaminated cut seed, and lowest from whole or treated seed. Whole non-treated seed produced daughter tubers with contamination equal to treated whole seed. This indicates that the use of whole seed could be a method to reduce daughter tuber contamination and reduce reliance on chemical treatments. Cut seed contaminated withFusarium spp. is an important source of daughter tuber contamination which can result in a high amount of tuber dry rot in storage.     

Tyrosine synthesis in potato tuber tissue from blackspot-susceptible and resistant genotypes

Summary Radioactively-labeled shikimic acid (¹⁴C) was incubated with potato tuber tissue disks to determine the relative rate of tyrosine synthesis in blackspot-resistant and susceptible cultivars. Tyrosine synthesis was 55% higher in the susceptible cultivar, Lemhi Russet, than the resistant clone TXA 763-5. The susceptible clone also partitioned a lower percentage of¹⁴C tyrosine into soluble protein than did the resistant genotype. The percentage of labeled free tyrosine which would be available for oxidation by polyphenyloxidase was therefore much higher in the susceptible cultivar. Hort/LA Paper No. 90-27. Project No. 0766. Washington State University, College of Agriculture and Home Economics Research Center, Pullman, WA 99164     

Plant regeneration from tuber discs of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) using 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP)

Summary Shoots, roots and callus were formed from tuber discs of potato, cultivar Désirée, when grown in vitro on the basal medium of Murashige & Skoog (1962) (MS) supplemented with 2,4-D and/or BAP. Callus was formed in MS medium with 1 mg l⁻¹ BAP plus 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-D, callus and roots were formed in MS with 1 mg l⁻¹ BAP plus more than 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-D and shoots were formed directly on tuber discs cultured on MS medium with 1 mg l⁻¹ BAP without the addition of 2,4-D. Nodules produced at the explant surface after the 4th week increased in size following subculture onto the same medium (MS+BAP alone), and 2 to 6 shoots developed from each nodule. After 9 weeks total time in culture, these shoots were excised and transferred as cuttings to MS medium without growth regulators, after which roots developed and plantlets were formed. A histological study of the explants at the sites of nodule formation indicated that the shoots developed from meristematic zones initiated within small outgrowths of tissue similar to those occuring in adventive organogenesis but the presence of shoot and root meristems associated with the same axis suggests the formation of somatic embryos.     

Variation in pathogenicity on potato tubers and sensitivity to thiabendazole of the dry rot fungusFusarium avenaceum

Summary The majority of isolates ofFusarium avenaceum caused dry rot on potato tubers; many were as pathogenic asF. coeruleum. Pathogenicity ofF. avenaceum was not related to the plant species from which the isolates originated. Tubers of potato cv. Cara were more susceptible than those of cvs Romano or Maris Piper. Temperature (5–15° C) had no effect on lesion depth but lesions tended to be slightly wider at the lowest temperature. Two isolates (of 61) from wheat and white lupin had a moderate level of resistance to thiabendazole. The results are discussed in relation to the control of dry rot in stored potato tubers.     

Unsaponifiable lipids from haulm and tuber sprouts of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary Fractions containing Δ⁵- and Δ⁷-sterols, 4-methyl-sterols, triterpenic alcohols, tocopherols and hydrocarbons were isolated by TLC from petroleum ether extracts of the haulm and tuber sprouts of cv Désirée. Sterol and triterpenic alcohol fractions of unsaponifiable lipids of the haulm and tuber sprouts were found to contain twelve sterols and four triterpenic alcohols, respectively. 24R-4-stigmasten-3-on, Δ⁷, Δ⁷, lanosterol, cycloeucalenol and obtisufoliol have not been identified previously in unsaponifiable lipids from haulm and sprouts. In the hydrocarbon fractions of the haulm extract, C₂₃-to C₃₃-n-parafins, C₁₉-and C₃₁-cyclohexyl hydrocarbons, C₂₂-to C₃₈-olefins and squalene were identified, and in the hydrocarbon fractions of the tuber sprouts C₁₂-to C₂₆-olefins and squalene were identified.     

Identification of stem soft rot (Erwinia carotovora subspeciesatroseptica) resistance in potato

Development of potato cultivars resistant to Erwinia species (Erwinia carotovora subspeciesatroseptica, E. carotovora subspeciescarotovora, andErwinia chrysanthemi) causing soft rot of stems and tubers involves identification and transfer of the resistance to breeding lines possessing desirable agronomic traits. In total, 363 accessions of six wildSolanum species, three somatic hybrids and nine sexual progeny of somatic hybrids were screened for stem soft rot resistance. Thirty-one, 50, and 67 percent of accessions ofSolanum boliviense, Solanum chacoense, and Solanumsanctarosae, respectively, were resistant or highly resistant, whereas, 100, 97, and 95 percent of accessions ofSolanum canasense, Solanum tarijense, andSolanum spegazzinii were susceptible or highly susceptible, respectively. Two tuber soft-rot resistant somatic hybrids, A937 and T355-11 produced earlier by the fusion ofSolanum brevidens (PI 218228) andSolanum tuberosum (PI203900) orS. tuberosum cv. Russet Burbank, respectively, and the sexual progeny of A937 andS. tuberosum cv. Katahdin were also highly resistant. Transfer of resistance fromS. brevidens to somatic hybrid (A937) and subsequently to the progeny suggests that the resistance is simply inherited. In addition to the identification of 65 resistant or highly resistant clones of wildSolanum species, this study has identified three tuber soft rot-resistant clones that are also resistant to stem soft rot. Potato cultivars showed a range of responses to the pathogen.     

Isolation of solanidine from haulm and tuber sprouts of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary The kinetics of enzymatic transformation of total glycoalkaloids (TGA) in haulm and tuber sprouts of potato to solanidine and the kinetics of solanidine isolation from plant material were studied. The optimum reaction conditions for the enzymatic TGA transformation were found for haulm to be: plant material to liquid phase 1:4 w/v, temperature 35°C, pH 5.4; and for tuber sprouts: plant material to liquid phase 1:3 w/v, temperature 37°C, pH 5.4. The. maximum degree of enzymatic transformation of TGA in haulm and tuber sprouts of 65 and 75%, respectively, was achieved after 50h. Carbon tetrachloride was the best solvent for solanidine extraction from the plant materials. The optimum ratio of plant material to carbon tetrachloride for the isolation of solanidine was 1:8 w/v for both extraction cycles, ensuring a yield of solanidine of approximately 55 and 65% from haulm and tuber sprouts, respectively, after 30 min.