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Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/1999 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Verticillium wilt is an important disease in the midwestern and western potato production areas. These areas have intermediate to long growing seasons,respectively. The effects of Verticillium wilt on potatoes grown under short growing season conditions have not been studied extensively. This research reports on the effect of Verticillium wilt resistance on tuber yield and quality of resistant and susceptible varieties grown in an area with a short season. Seven potato clones were inoculated with V. dahliae and V. albo atrum isolates and planted at Presque Isle, ME. Total tuber yield, average tuber weight, number and weight of U.S. No. 1 potatoes, specific gravity and chip color were recorded for each variety. In the inoculated plants, reductions in total tuber yields, weight and U.S. No.1 potatoes, and specific gravity were significantly greater in the Verticillium susceptible clones than in the resistant clones. Plant breeders, plant geneticists, plant pathologists and extension personnel will use this information to evaluate losses caused by Verticillium wilt and improve resistance to this disease complex in developing potato clones. Technical Abstract: Verticillium wilt causes significant yield reduction in susceptible potato cultivars, and infection with V. dahliae reduces specific gravity in the cv Russet Burbank'. In 1994 and 1995, the effect of Verticillium wilt on tuber yield, number of tubers, size distribution by weight and number of tubers, specific gravity and chip color was studied in northern Maine, an area with a short growing season. Seven potato clones (four resistant and three susceptible) were inoculated with isolates V. dahliae and V. albo atrum and evaluated for their reactions in split plot design with three replications at Presque Isle, ME. Plants were rated for wilt symptoms on a scale of 1=0-3% to 10=100% wilt 77 days after planting in 1994 and 74 days after planting in 1995. There were significant differences among clones for Verticillium wilt rating, specific gravity and chip color. The inoculation treatment did not affect any of the tuber traits measured. However, there were significant clone x inoculation treatment interactions for most tuber traits. These results suggest that breeding clones with resistance to Verticillium sp. will reduce yield losses while maintaining tuber size and specific gravity under disease pressure. |
