Solanum neovavilovii: A new wild potato species from Bolivia

Regions such as Mexico, where important sources of resistance to late blight of potato have been found, have also been widely explored for wild potatoes. In contrast, Bolivia has received little attention. Although more than 50 names have been published for wild species from Bolivia, a great majority of these only constitute synonyms. Nevertheless, our exploratory work shows that finding new species is still possible in the isolated and remote localities of this country as demonstrated by the present new species,Solarium neovavilovii (Sect. Petota), dedicated to the great Russian scientist Nicolai I. Vavilov. Solatium neovavilovii is a diploid species (2n = 2x = 24 chromosomes) and belongs to the Conicibaccata series. Its preferred habitat is in thickets of “Ceja de Selva,” an ecological formation which is humid, cold, and frequently foggy, typical of the eastern region of the Andes. Its type locality has an altitude of 3000 m. This species is closely related toSolanum limbaniense Ochoa from south east Perú.     

Solanum antacochense,a new wild Peruvian species

The largest concentration of wild tuber-bearingSolanums in the Western Hemisphere is located in the Andean region of Perú. However, in spite of the many potato collecting expeditions which have carried out extensive field work in the past, there still remain new species to be presented to science for the first time.Solanum antacochense, from the series tuberosa, a diploid species (2n = 2x = 24 chromosomes) native to Perú described here, is one of them.     

Solanum bill-hookeri: New wild potato species from Peru

There is presented the original diagnosis ofSolanum bill-hookeri from the series Tuberosa (Sect. Petota), a new wild tuber-bearing diploid (2n=2x=24) species from Peru, named in honor of Dr. William J. Hooker.     

Solanum Nemorosum: A new hexaploid tuber-bearing species from Peru

Up to the present time, the only representative Peruvian hexaploid tuber-bearing wild species isSolanum acaule Bitt. var.albicans Ochoa, from the series Acaulia of theSection Tuberarium. This entity was found by the author for the first time in the paramo prairies of Porcon, Cajamarca in northern Peru. Now it is my pleasure to present again another extremely interesting new wild species,Solanum nemorosum, which is also hexaploid, that is to say with a content of 2n = 6x = 72 chromosomes. It is native also from the north of Peru and belongs to the series Conicibaccata. It occurs primarily in humid forests of shrubs or small trees.     

Evolutionary pathway of T-type Chloroplast DNA in potato

Potato was domesticated in the Andes of South America. However, the presently worldwide-grown potato (Solanum tuberosum L. ssp.tuberosum, 2n=4x=48) has characteristic T-type chloroplast DNA that was introduced after late blight epidemics in the mid-19th century from the Chilean potato (2n=4x=48) grown in the southern coastal regions in Chile. Among many wild potato species, the same chloroplast DNA was found only in some populations of a diploid speciesS. tarijense Hawkes (2n=2x=24), which ranges from central Bolivia to northwest Argentina. To elucidate an evolutionary pathway of T-type chloroplast DNA fromS. tarijense to Chilean potato, 215 accessions ofS. stenotomum Juz. et Buk., considered to be the most primitive, diploid cultivated potato species, from which all the Andean cultivated species evolved, and 286 accessions of the most widely grown, Andean tetraploid cultivated speciesS. tuberosum L. ssp.andigena Hawkes (2n=4x=48) were examined in this study. No accession ofS. stenotomum had T-type chloroplast DNA, while nine accessions, mostly from northwest Argentina, ofS. tuberosum ssp.andigena had T-type chloroplast DNA. Therefore, I conclude that some populations ofS. tarijense having T-type chloroplast DNA were naturally crossed as female withS. tuberosum ssp.andigena from which the Chilean potato was selected.     

Solanum Incamayoense: A new tuberous species of Argentina

Solarium incamayoense is described as a new wild tuber-bearing species from dept. Rosario de Lerma, prov. Salta, Argentina. This species is morphologically related toS. gourlayi Hawkes from which it differs by the shape, size and colour of the leaflets and by the habit of growth. The species is diploid (2n = 24).     

Male fertility and 2n pollen production in haploid-wild species hybrids

Hybrids (2n = 2x = 24) from crosses between Group Tuberosum haploids (2n = 2x = 24) and 24-chromosome, wild species must be fertile and produce 2n gametes if they are to be used in breeding schemes involving sexual polyploidization. Male fertility of the 2x hybrids depends primarily on the species parent. Hybrids involvingS. berthaultii, S. chacoense, S. kurtzianum, S. spegazzinii, andS. tarijense as parents are male fertile. The haploid parents are male sterile, so the species not only contribute genetic diversity and desirable traits, but also genes necessary for male fertility.S. infundibuliforme, S. raphanifolium, andS. sanctae-rosae parents produced male sterile hybrid progeny, while use ofS. boliviense, S. bukasovii, S. canasense, S. microdontum, andS. sparsipilum results in families containing both fertile and sterile plants. Sterility may be due to interactions between Tuberosum cytoplasm and dominant nuclear genes from the species. Genetic male sterility and environmental conditions may also be responsible for low pollen stainability in some hybrids. Many fertile, 2x hybrids produce 2n pollen. Selection for 2n pollen in the species is fast and efficient, but meiotic analysis is required in male sterile haploids. Fortunately, selection in the species parent alone results in a large number of 2n pollen-producing hybrids. These 2x hybrids have been used to generate tetraploids via 4x × 2x crosses.     

Taxonomy and new collections of wild potato species in Central and Southern Peru in 1999

Peru contains about half of the described wild potato taxa, and many of these are not yet preserved in genebanks. This paper reports results of the second of a series of five planned collecting expeditions to Peru. Collections were made in the central Peruvian departments of Ancash, Huancavelica, La Libertad, and Lima, from March 8 to April 25,1999. They follow collections in 1998 in the southern Peruvian departments of Apurimac, Arequipa, Cusco, Moquegua, Puno, and Tacna. We collected 101 germplasm accessions, including first germplasm collections of the following 22Solanum taxa:Solanum amayanum, S. anamatophilum, S. arahuayum (lost in germplasm increase),S. augustii, S. bill- hookeri, S. cantense, S. chavinense, S. chomatophilum var. subnivale, S. chrysoflorum, S. gracilifrons, S. hapalos um, S. huarochiriense, S. hypacrarthrum, S.jalcae, S. moniliforme, S. multiinterruptum f. longipilosum, S. multiinterruptum var. machaytambinum, S. peloquinianum, S. rhombilanceolatum, S. simplicissimum, S. taulisense (lost in germplasm increase), andS. wittmackii. In addition, new collections were made of the under-collected speciesS. hastiforme (three collections). The above taxonomy is that used in planning our expedition, that we compare to a new treatment of Peruvian wild potatoes published by C. Ochoa in 1999. This paper reports the collection and new species identifications of the 1999 collections, and germplasm conservation and survival of the 1998 and 1999 collections. In addition, chromosome counts are provided for 134 accessions from the 1998 and 1999 expeditions, including first reports forS. chomatophilum var. subnivale (2n = 2x = 24),S. megistacrolobum subsp.purpureum (2n = 2x = 24), andS. multiinterruptum var.multiinterruptum f.albiflorum (2n = 2x = 24); we also report the first triploid count of an accession ofS. immite.     

Interspecific crossability and cytogenetic analysis of sexual progenies of Mexican wild diploid 1EBN speciesSolanum pinnatisectum andS. cardiophyllum

Mexican wild diploid species,Solanum pinnatisectum (S. pnt) (2n=2x=24, 1EBN: endosperm balance number) is a useful germplasm source of late blight and Colorado potato beetle (CPB) resistance in potato improvement. However, it is very difficult to cross this species with other 1EBNSolanum species. Sexual hybrids among three accessions ofS. pnt and two accessions ofS. cardiophyllum (S. cph) (2n=2x=24, 1EBN) were studied. There were large differences in the cross-compatibility among the genotypes and accessions from these two 2x-1EBN species. Interspecific incompatibility existed in the crosses betweenS. pnt andS. cph, in whichS. cph functioned only as the male parent. The crosses with accessions PI 275236 ofS. pnt produced 35 hybrids following the conventional propagation procedures. Seven hybrids were obtained with theS. pnt accession PI 275233 with the aid of embryo rescue, while hybridization involving accession PI 253214 resulted in no fruit. The cytogenetic analysis indicated that all of the hybrids derived from crosses of accession PI 275233 ofS. pnt withS. cph had 2n = 24 chromosomes and were pollen fertile. Crosses involving accession PI 275236 ofS. pnt produced both 2x (2n=24) and 3x (2n=36) hybrids. Meiotic analysis at metaphase I of pollen mother cells (PMCs) showed a fairly high rate of chromosome pairing that averaged between 10.10 and 11.10 bivalents per cell in most of the 2x hybrids, indicatingS. pnt andS. cph have the similar genome. A high frequency of trivalents and quadrivalents were observed in 3x hybrids derived fromS. pnt 2 ×S. cph 1, indicating homology exists among these chromosomes. These results suggest that specific gene(s) and not either differences between genomes or EBN controlled interspecific crossability and embryo development. The disease and insect tests on the 2x and 3x hybrids revealed that all have high levels of resistance to both late blight and CPB. Thus it could appear that selection of genotypes is a key for successful interspecific hybridization when using Mexican wild diploid species as a source of economic important traits.     

Genetic heterogeneity estimated by RAPD polymorphism of four tuber-bearing potato species differing by breeding system

Most wild potato germplasm in genebanks is collected, preserved, and evaluated as botanical seed populations that may be highly heterozygous and heterogeneous. However, some species are selfers so potentially very homozygous, perhaps also homogeneous. Intrapopulation heterogeneity increases sampling error that can undermine consistency in seed regeneration in the genebank, screening results, germplasm collecting, and estimates of taxonomic relationships. Thus, knowledge of genetic heterogeneity (GH) can predict the need to commit more resources for larger sample sizes or replication when populations of a given species are being regenerated, evaluated, collected, and classified. This study investigated withinpopulation GH in 32 potato populations comprising four different breeding systems observed inSolatium species:S. fendleri (2n=4x=48, disomic selfer),S. jamesii (2n=2x=24, outcrosser),S. sucrense (2n=4x=48, tetrasomic outcrosser), andS. verrucosum (2n=2x=24, selfer). RAPD markers were used to estimate heterogeneity among 24 individuals per population. Populations ofS. verrucosum were quite homogeneous with an average GH of 6.0%. Similarly low heterogeneity was detected among the eight populations ofS. fendleri (average GH=7.1%). In contrast,S. jamesii andS. sucrense had a much higher GH of 29.4% and 44.1%, respectively. These results demonstrate and quantify the great difference in intrapopulation heterogeneity among wild potato species. Calculations based on intrapopulation heterogeneity indicate that samples should be composed of 25 to 30 random plants for low sample variation that is uniform for all species.     

Germplasm transfer from the wild tetraploid speciesSolanum acaule bitt. to the cultivated potato,S. tuberosum L. using 2N eggs

Solanum acaule Bitt. (acl ¹, 2n=4x=48 and 2n=6x=72) is a wild potato species in which resistance to adverse biotic and abiotic agents has been found. The tetraploid subspeciesacaule andaemulans cannot be easily crossed with the common potato,S. tuberosum L. Grouptuberosum (tbr, 2n=4x=48) because the development of the endosperm in the hybrid seed is abnormal. Since 4xacl behaves as a diploid in intra and interploidy crosses, it was postulated that the hybridization barrier withtbr could be overcome if the wild species produced 2n gametes. One hundred and ninety-seven plants of 4xacl (22 introductions) were screened for pollen of heterogeneous size; only two plants produced this type of pollen, with 3% and 5% of pollen in the large class, respectively. On the other hand, 427 plants (47 introductions) were screened for 2n eggs through controlled crosses withtbr. Forty-one plants (13 introductions) produced 219 berries of which 46 contained at least one plump seed. Seed from berries with low seed set gave rise to hexaploid hybrids possibly through the functioning of 2n eggs from 4xacl. A sample of these hybrids was successfully backcrossed as female parents totbr, giving rise to 5x BC₁ progenies. These BC₁ progenies could be easily back-crossed totbr, yielding tetraploid or near tetraploid BC₂ plants.     

Solanum irosinum,new Peruvian tuber bearing species resistant toPhytophthora infestans

The greatest variety of tuberiferousSolanums of the Western Hemisphere is found in the Peruvian Andes, where, in spite of extensive explorations, new material is still found, such as the species which is here presented under the name ofSolanum irosinum. This is a diploid species; that is, it has 2n = 2x = 24 chromosomes and belongs to the Conicibaccata series. It could be used as a new source of breeding because it offers great resistance to attacks byPhytophthora infestans, the most serious disease of potato crops in the world.     

Frost resistant potato hybrids viaSolanum acaule,Bitt. Diploid-Tetraploid crosses

Solanum juzepczukii Buk. andSolanum curtilobum Juz. et Buk. are two important primitive cultivated species of potato which are planted in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. Little natural variation exists within these species. Crosses were made to artificially recreate these species using tetraploid cultivated potatoes as female parents and triploids derived from acaule-diploid crosses as males. The new hybrids were tetraploid (2n = 48) with a high degree of heterosis and variability, and several potential cultivated clones possessing valuable characters such as yield, earliness, frost tolerance and good tuber type were selected.     

Tracking the R Mc1 Gene for Resistance to Race 1 of Columbia Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne chitwoodi) in Three Mexican Wild Potato Species with Different Ploidies

Resistance to Columbia Root-knot nematode was discovered in three wild species in a polyploidy series, Solanum bulbocastanum (2n?=?2x), .S. fendleri (2n?=?4x), and S. hougasii, 2n?=?6x, respectively. After several generations of introgression into the cultivated gene pool, a single dominant monogene conditioning resistance to root propagation of race 1 of CRKN was theorized to be acting in breeding lines derived from each species. Coincidently, sequence tagged sites (STS) and cleaved amplified polymorphic site (CAPS) markers that associated with resistance with S. bulbocastanum were found to be informative in other segregating breeding populations regardless of the source of the gene. The utility of the markers across ploidies suggests that the original gene and genome of S. bulbocastanum or a modern derivative, is present in S. fendleri and S. hougasii. In this polyploidy series, knowledge that the S. bulbocastanum genome is the original source of useful genes guides future germplasm surveyors to search first and most intensively in the primitive Mexican diploid species that may have served as the contributor of a genome to descendants harboring this genome at higher ploidies.     

Selfing rates in two wild polyploid solanums

The rate of selfing in the wild, tuber-bearing speciesS. gourlayi Hawkes (2n = 4x = 48) andS. oplocense Hawkes (2n = 6x = 72) was estimated from progeny of plants nulliplex for the “parallel spindles (ps) allele. The estimated values for plants grown in experimental plots were 22% forS. gourlayi and 1% forS. oplocense. The quantitative method used appears to be a simple and efficient way to calculate selfing rates in polyploids. Knowledge of selfing rates is useful for basic population genetic studies and for plant breeding and seed production of economic crops. There is a need for genetic markers inSolanum species if selfing rates are to be taken into consideration for the selection of an appropriate breeding method for the production of true potato seed.     

2n pollen in eleven 2x, 2EBN wild species and their haploid x wild species hybrids

Summary Sixty-three plants producing 2n pollen were identified among 65 introductions of 11 2x, 2EBN wild species. They were found in 27 of the 65 introductions representing ten of 11 species. The gene frequencies for the allele controlling 2n pollen formation ranged from 0.19 to 0.65. Seventyeight haploid x wild species hybrid families were produced using the previously identified 2n pollen plants as male parents. One hundred and thirty-two plants that produced 2n pollen were identified among the haploid x wild species hybrids at one location and 44 at another. The high number of haploid x wild species hybrids that produced 2n pollen and the large number of hybrids with acceptable pollen stainability demonstrate the potential of the hybrids in 4x × 2x germplasm transfer. Potato breeders can unleash the genetic diversity present in the 2x, 2EBN wild species by screening them for 2n pollen and crossing the 2n pollen producing plants to haploids.     

A new tuber-bearingSolanum potentially useful for breeding for aphid resistance

An original diagnosis ofSolanum × flavoviridens is presented. This is a new hybridogenic wild potato species native to the humid tropics of Bolivia. The plant is very glandulous and is practically covered throughout by the two types of glandular hairs which produce abundant sticky gummy exudate. This entity could represent a new potential source in potato breeding for resistance against aphids.     

Haploids of tetraploid (2n=4x=48) Mexican potato species—Their extraction,cytology and crossability

Successful isolation of haploids (2n=2x=24) from 4x(2EBN) Mexican species was achieved by using Modified Wenzel (MW) and Nitsch and Nitsch (NN) media for anther culture. Both media, MW and NN, gave consistent regeneration of plantlets from 4x(2EBN) Mexican species, and responses to the media were both species and accession (PI) specific. Plantlets regenerated directly from microspores, by-passing the callus cycle, were mostly haploid (2n=2x=24). Haploid plants appeared smaller and weaker than their parents with a drastic reduction in both male and female fertility. Abnormalities observed during meiosis and the lack of success in crossing confirmed the effect of the meiotic irregularities observed in the haploids. A total of 290 seeds was obtained from the 4x × 2x crosses of 4x Mexican species with irradiated pollen of 2xS. cardiophyllum and 2xS. chancayense; however, no haploid (2n=2x=24) plants resulted. Extraction of haploids from colchicinedoubled 4x (2EBN) or natural 6x(4EBN) Mexican species using a Phureja pollinator was examined to provide clues to the potential of using 2x (1EBN) pollinators for haploid induction in 4x(2EBN) × 2x(1EBN) crosses.     

Performance of haploid x wild species, 2x hybrids (involving five newly evaluated species) in 4x × 2x families

The 4x × 2x breeding scheme in potato allows introgression of germ-plasm from the 2x wild species into the cultivated tetraploid. Eighteen 4x × 2x, forty-five 4x × 4x, seven 4x-selfs, and five open pollinated (OP) families were transplanted in a randomized complete block design with two replications and 18 plants per family per replication. The 2x parents of the 4x × 2x families were seven haploid x wild species hybrids. These hybrids involve five 2x, wild species,Solanum bukasovii, S. gourlayi, S. muhidissectum, S. vermi, andS. verrucosum, which had not previously been evaluated in the 4x × 2x breeding scheme. Data were recorded for family yield, maturity, tuber uniformity, tuber number, and general tuber appearance. The 4x × 2x families as a group performed as well as or better than the 4x × 4x, 4x-self, and 4x-OP groups for all traits except maturity. Within family maturity distributions for 4x × 2x families indicate the possibility to select early maturing clones from high yielding families. Eleven of the fifteen families in the top 25% of the 4x × 2x and 4x × 4x families for yield were 4x × 2x families. Three of the four 2x parents evaluated for parental performance gave highly significant responses for increased yield. 4x × 2x families with Chiquita as a parent were the poorest yielding while several of the 4x x 4x families of which it was a parent were among the highest yielding: This indicates that the benefits of maximum heterozygosity may be overridden if the percentage of unadapted germplasm is too high.     

A restorer gene for genetic-cytoplasmic male sterility in cultivated potatoes

Fifty-nine clones (cultivars and advanced selections) ofSolanum tuberosum Group Tuberosum were pollinated with two Group Phureja-haploid Tuberosum hybrids, which produce FDR 2n pollen (ps/ps) and are heterozygous for a dominant gene (Ms/ms) which interacts with Tuberosum cytoplasm to result in male sterility. Twenty-eight and thirty-four plants from each family were transplanted to the field in two different locations, respectively. Pollen samples were collected from each plant and stained with acetocarmine glycerol jelly. Plants with over 95% unstainable pollen were considered male sterile. The families could be put into distinct classes according to the ratio of male sterile to male fertile plants; 3 sterile: 1 fertile (23 clones), 2 sterile: 3 fertile (24 clones), 1 sterile: 5 fertile (3 clones), and 0 sterile: 1 fertile (3 clones). Four families deviated significantly from any expected ratio. The variation for male fertility among families resides in the tetraploid parent, since the male parents have the same genotype (Ms/ms) for theMs locus. The locus of this gene is very distal to the centromere such the 2n gametic output is 1 Ms/Ms : 2 Ms/ms : 1 ms/ms. The variation in male sterility is explained by the presence or absence of a dominant allele of a restorer gene (Rt) in tetraploid Tuberosum. This locus is also very distal to the centromere. The frequency of theRt gene was estimated to be 0.20 in Tuberosum. The finding ofRt gene explains some of the conflicting results in male fertility of haploid Tuberosum x 2x cultivated and wild species hybrids. It also provides an opportunity to partially circumvent this male sterility. Haploids (2n = 2x = 24) extracted from 4x clones withRt genes would have male fertile progeny in crosses with species carrying theMs gene.