Inheritance of the resistance toMeloidogyne incognita,M. javanica,andM. arenaria in potatoes

The objectives of this research were: 1) to try to determine the inheritance of the resistance toMeloidogyne incognita, M. javanica, andM. arenaria and 2) to study genetic relationships among the three species of root-knot nematodes in potatoes. The source of resistance used wasSolanum sparsipilum. The progenies analyzed in this study may be grouped into a few discrete segregation patterns, three forM. incognita andM. javanica and two forM. arenaria. More than one dominant locus, but not many loci are needed to explain the segregation obtained in the three species. Susceptible clones ofS. sparsipilum possess recessive or epistatic genes which affect the pattern of segregation for resistance, when these clones are crossed to resistant clones. Maternal effects were expressed in reciprocal crosses between susceptible and resistant clones when they were tested for resistance toM. arenaria. Clones in this study which are resistant toM. arenaria are also resistant toM. incognita andM. javanica     

Discovery of an atypical strain ofBurkholderia solanacearum affecting potatoes in India

Summary An atypical strain ofBurkholderia solanacearum was isolated from potato. Characters examined were colony shape, size, colouration, pathogenicity to susceptible hosts, vascular discolouration and biovar features. In contrast to normal white-coloured colonies, this atypical strain produced cream coloured, fluidal colonies on tetrazolium chloride medium. It did not cause disease symptoms in eggplant, datura and pepper but was slightly to highly pathogenic on tomato and potato respectively but caused no discolouration of vascular tissues. This atypical strain from potato also differed from established biovars in its ability to produce acid only from mannitol and maltose, a combination which has not been previously reported. This is believed to be the first report of the presence of an atypical strain ofB. solanacearum from India.     

Selection for resistance to potato leafhopper in potatoes I.selection methods

A randomly mated potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) population (3 generations, without selection) derived from clones from several breeding programs, displayed considerable resistance in the field to potato leafhopper,Empoasca fabae (Harris). Leafhopper population levels on 161 clones ranged from 2 to 28 nymphs per 45-sec count (mean = 12), whereas a susceptible check averaged 20 nymphs per count. Clones selected for low leafhopper counts in 1971 were compared with the population in 1972 to evaluate the effectiveness of selecting from small plots (three-hill) with minimum replication. The selected clones averaged 30% fewer leafhoppers than the population average in 1971 and 10% fewer in 1972. The average heritability (broad sense) for one plot per clone per location, two locations, and two 45-sec nymph counts per plot equaled 36%.     

Effects of heat tolerance on expression of resistance toPresudomonas solanacearum E. F. Smith in potato

Summary Twelve potato clones with different genetic background for resistance to bacterial wilt and adaptation were tested for resistance to a race 1 and a race 3 isolate of the pathogen at three locations in the Philippines representing different ranges of ambient temperature. The results showed that the genes for heat tolerance are crucial for resistance. Stability analysis indicated that clones with both resistance and heat tolerance genes displayed higher and more stable resistance to the race 1 isolate than those clones having only resistance genes. The latter group tended to have higher values of both regression of disease index on environmental index and deviation from the regression in the stability analysis. Host — pathogen interaction effects were found to be statistically significant but small compared to main effects of isolates and clones. The involvement of genes with different effects on wilt resistance is discussed. Introduction     

The effect of theH1 gene in potatoes,conferring resistance toGlobodera rostochiensis,on resistance toG. pallida derived fromSolanum vernei andS. tuberosum ssp.andigena CPC 2802

Summary The major geneH1 confers resistance in potatoes to the golden potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis). No direct effect of the gene on resistance to the white potato cyst nematode (G. pallida) was found, but factors increasing resistance toG. pallida were detected and it is possible that these are linked to theH1 gene. The implications of such linkage are discussed.     

The heritability of resistance to early blight in diploid potatoes (Solanum tuberosum,subsp.Phureja andStenotomum)

The heritability of resistance to early blight caused byAlternaria solani (Ell. & Martin) Son was estimated for field grown, diploid potatoes at Fletcher, North Carolina in 1981. Fourteen breeding lines, selected from a random mated hybrid population ofSolanum tuberosum, subsp.phureja andstenotomum, were used. Resistance was measured as the slope obtained by regressing the logit of the disease proportion Y, measured as % defoliation, on time. A wide range of resistance was found. Narrow-sense heritability, as determined by offspring-midparent regression, on an individual plant basis, was calculated to be 0.825.     

Selection for resistance to potato leafhopper in potatoes: III. Comparison of two selection procedures

A comparison was made of two breeding procedures for recurrently selecting potato,Solanum tuberosum L., for resistance to infestation by potato leafhopper,Empoasca fabae (Harris). On the basis of selection advance per year, the more efficient procedure involved randomly intermating a group of clones, planting seedling tubers in a field test to measure resistance to infestation, and then bulking the seed from the most resistant clones to complete the selection cycle in one year. A population developed by five cycles of selection (five years) for resistance to infestation using this procedure resulted in a decrease of 57% in the level of infestation from the original population.     

Evaluation of resistance to root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in okra cultivars

The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, is one of the major limiting factors affecting plant growth and yield causing an estimated $100 billion loss per year worldwide. Synthetic pesticides, though instantaneously effective, are usually prohibitively expensive, not readily available, may cause hazards to both man and livestock, and inflict injury to the environment. Notable among the alternatives to nematicides is the use of resistant cultivars which are inexpensive and eco-friendly. In the present studies, twelve okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L) cultivars were evaluated for their resistance against M. incognita under field conditions. Ten-day old okra plants of test cultivars were inoculated with 3000 freshly hatched second stage juveniles of M. incognita. The nematode caused reductions in various growth parameters of all the cultivars to varying levels over their respective controls. None of the cultivars was found completely resistant. The cultivar ‘Sharmeeli’ was highly susceptible as >100 galls were recorded on the roots. Sharmeeli also showed maximum reductions in growth among the cultivars evaluated. The cultivars Anmol and Sindha were susceptible with 71–100 galls. The cultivars Sabz Pari, Super Star, PMS-55 and PMS Beauty were moderately susceptible with 31–70 galls and comparatively less reductions in growth. Cultivars Sanam, Dikshah, Arka Anamika, Ikra-1 and Ikra-2 with 11–30 galls were rated as moderately resistant and showed less damage by the nematode as compared to susceptible cultivars and their planting could provide a useful tool to control root-knot nematodes.     

Selection for resistance to potato leafhopper in potatoes. II. Progress after two cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection

ASolatium tuberosum L. gp.tuberosum population was subjected to 2 cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection for resistance to the potato leafhopper,Empoasca fabae (Harris), as expressed by low levels of nymph infestation. Samples of lines from the original population and from the cycle 2 population were tested for infestation levels at 2 locations for 2 years. Infestation in cycle 2 lines was 54% lower than that in lines from the original, unselected population.     

Inheritance and stability of resistance to fusarium tuber rot in tetraploid potatoes

Fusarium tuber rot of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most economically important diseases of stored potatoes. Dry rot is caused by several species of Fusaria, particularlyFusarium sambucinum in North America. The objective of this study was to determine the inheritance of resistance to Fusarium tuber rot. A highly resistant (B0172-22) and a highly susceptible (B0178-34) potato clone were crossed as female parents with two male parents. Tubers from varying numbers of progeny (28–37) from these four crosses were inoculated withFusarium sambucinum in the laboratory. Three tubers from each progeny were inoculated at approximately monthly intervals six times in each of 2 years. The depth and diameter of the lesion were measured 40 days after inoculation. Estimates of broadsense heritability (H) for lesion depth and a 95% confidence interval about these estimates were similar in 2000 and 2001: 0.84 (0.84, 0.91) and 0.77 (0.77, 0.87), respectively, as were the estimates for lesion diameter: 0.83 (0.83, 0.90) and 0.80 (0.80, 0.89), respectively. The differences in lesion depth for the female parents were significant the second year, but not the first year. The differences in lesion diameter for the female and male parents were significant both years. The female x male interactions were not significant for either lesion depth or lesion diameter. There were significant differences between clones in each of these four families for both traits both years. In 2000 and 2001, 24% and 38%, respectively, of the clones were unstable for resistance. In only one of the four families did instability increase as susceptibility increased, suggesting that there sometimes may be a genetic component to instability per se. These results indicate that resistance to Fusarium dry rot has a large genetic component. They also indicate that lesion diameter is more informative than lesion depth for evaluating resistance.     

Inheritance of tolerance ofGlobodera pallida and the relationship between tolerance and resistance toG. pallida in potatoes

Summary The tolerance of and resistance toGlobodera pallida of two potato progenies which segregated for these characteristics were assessed in pots in the glasshouse. The level of tolerance varied widely between genotypes within the progenies, with several genotypes being significantly more tolerant than the intolerant parent. The levels of resistance and tolerance in the progenies were not significantly correlated. No indications were obtained that the ranking of genotypes for tolerance is influenced by the density ofG. pallida in the soil. The results confirm that selection for tolerance in aG. pallida resistance breeding programme is useful and feasible.     

Screening for field resistance to early blight (Alternaria solani) in potatoes

Summary 27 clones were trialled in the Negev, Israel, in the Spring and Autumn seasons of 1984 and 1985, in a control area (kept disease free) and an Alternaria area (artificially infected withA. solani). Disease symptoms and maturities were assessed. Significant variation in symptom expression was detected between clones and seasons, as well as a significant interaction of clones by years by seasons. The symptoms showed low correlations between seasons but were larger between years within the same season. The clones displayed a range of maturity scores and it was demonstrated that these showed a relationship with the variation in observed disease symptoms. The deviation of symptom expression from a linear relation with maturity was taken to reflect a clone's actual resistance or susceptibility. The results showed agreement over years and it was suggested that such trials and methods of assessment might provide the basis for screening large numbers of clones.     

Growth regulators,photoperiod, and flowering in potatoes

The effect of 25 ppm gibberellic acid (GA₃), 7,500 ppm Gapol^(R) (0.4% molybdate; 0.42% cobalt; 0.56% tungstate; 2.84% borax; 4 ppm indoleacetic acid; 4 ppm naphthyltalamic acid; and 2 ppm ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and of two photoperiods (12 and 18 h daily) on flowering of potato cv Marijke was studied under greenhouse conditions. GA³ specifically reduced the number of days required for flowering, and Gapol^(R), or long days, favored bud retention. When combined, only a slight additive effect was observed. In most cases spraying the products on plants subjected to long days resulted in an increase in the number of floral buds, but their attachment to the plant was mainly influenced by the presence of Gapol^(R).     

Relationship of virus concentration with the field resistance to potato virus Y in potatoes

The concentration of potato virus Y (PVY) was determined, using ELISA values (A405 nm), in twenty-six potato cultivars belonging to five resistance groups, grown in the field and in the greenhouse. On the basis of virus concentration, potato cultivars of group A, B, and C did not differ significantly and constitute the most susceptible group; those of group D and E differ significantly with each other and with group A, B, C, and constitute moderate and highly resistant groups, respectively. In the second year of infection, virus concentration was higher in each group, irrespective of resistance level. Thus, the infected plants of resistant groups, in a second year of growth, could be as rich sources of virus to aphids as plants from susceptible groups.