Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #197589

Title: PROGENY OF A TRI-SPECIES POTATO SOMATIC HYBRID EXPRESS RESISTANCE TO WIREWORM IN EASTERN AND WESTERN POTATO PRODUCTION REGIONS OF THE U.S.

Author
item Novy, Richard - Rich
item ALVAREZ, J. - UNIV OF ID, ABERDEEN, ID
item STERRET, S. - VA POLYTECH, PAINTER, VA
item KUHAR, T. - VA POLYTECH, PAINTER, VA
item Horton, David

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2005
Publication Date: 1/1/2006
Citation: Novy, R.G., Alvarez, J.M., Sterret, S.B., Kuhar, T.P., Horton, D.R. 2006. Progeny of a tri-species potato somatic hybrid express resistance to wireworm in eastern and western potato production regions of the u.s.. American Journal of Potato Research.83(1):126

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wireworms, the soil-dwelling larvae of click beetles, feed upon seed pieces during the spring and subsequently burrow and feed on developing tubers in the summer. Crop losses of up to 5-25% can occur. Only a few organophosphate and carbamate insecticides are registered for control of wireworms. These insecticides are not always effective, and they may lose registration in the future. An important component of many successful IPM programs is host plant resistance. A complex somatic hybrid (Solanum etuberosum + [haploid subsp. Tuberosum x S. berthaultii]) was hybridized with cultivated potato. The 1st-3rd generation progeny of the somatic hybrid expressed resistance to sugarbeet wireworm in two years of field evaluations in Idaho. In 2004, somatic hybrid progeny were again evaluated in ID, as well as in WA and VA to assess resistance to the species complex of wireworms unique to each state. Clones were identified across all three sites having consistently reduced wireworm damage relative to susceptible check cultivars. Reduction in wireworm damage was comparable to or better than insecticidal control. Of note was the identification of apparent “regional resistance” with clone classifications for resistance/susceptibility sometimes varying markedly among the three states. This observed difference among regions in the phenotypic response of a clone to wireworms is thought to relate to the segregation of unique glycoalkoloids contributed by the parental species. These glycoalkaloids, alone or in combination, may confer resistance only to a subset of wireworm species