ARS | Publication request: Characterization Of The RB-Mediated Late Blight Resistance Phenotype

Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 5, 2007
Publication Date: December 1, 2007
Citation: Halterman, D.A., Chen, Y. 2007. Characterization Of The RB-Mediated Late Blight Resistance Phenotype [abstract]. Plant and Animal Genome Conference. Paper No. 1389.

Technical Abstract: Late blight, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans, continues to be the most devastating disease of potato. Although great efforts have been made in selection and breeding for resistance, many current potato cultivars remain susceptible. One of the reasons is that the resistance in most cultivars is derived from vertical resistance (R) genes, which has been overcome rather quickly. However, another R gene named RB, from the wild potato species Solanum bulbocastanum, confers rate limiting resistance and is expected to be much more durable than vertical resistance. In this study, we examined the interactions between P. infestans and transgenic RB-containing potato SP951 (S. tuberosum cv. Katahdin plus RB) and susceptible Katahdin, in order to better understand the resistance mechanism mediated by RB. We used trypan blue staining visualize hypersensitive cell death (HR) mediated by RB, and quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR to monitor the transcription of pathogenesis related (PR) genes. These findings will help us understand how the RB gene works and will eventually assist breeders in developing new late blight resistant cultivars.