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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #388128
Research Project: Management of Genetic Resources and Associated Information in the U. S. Potato Genebank

Location: Vegetable Crops Research

Title: Assessment of wild Solanum species for resistance to Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary in the Toluca Valley, Mexico

Author
item ENCISO-MALDONADO, GUILLERMO - University Of Chapingo
item LOZOYA-SALDANA, HECTOR - University Of Chapingo
item COLINAS-LEON, MARIA - University Of Chapingo
item CUEVAS-SANCHEZ, JESUS - University Of Chapingo
item SANABRIA-VELAZQUEZ, ANDRES - North Carolina State University
item Bamberg, John
item RAMAN, KANDUKURI - Cornell University

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/29/2021
Publication Date: 1/11/2022
Citation: Enciso-Maldonado, G.A., Lozoya-Saldana, H., Colinas-Leon, M.T., Cuevas-Sanchez, J.A., Sanabria-Velazquez, A.D., Bamberg, J.B., Raman, K.V. 2022. Assessment of wild Solanum species for resistance to Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary in the Toluca Valley, Mexico. American Journal of Potato Research. 99:25-39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09856-x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09856-x

Interpretive Summary: Potato is the world's top vegetable crop, but growing it has many challenges. The worst fungal disease is Late Blight, due to the same pathogen that caused the Irish Potato Famine. It causes large losses in the crop every year. A cooperative project between the US (Cornell, USDA), Poland/Russia, and Mexico sought to regenerate stocks suspected to be highly resistant to Late Blight housed at the famous Vavilov Institute potato collection in St. Petersburg, Russia (VIR). That was accomplished, and the stocks shared with the US Potato Genebank (USPG) at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The final step of the project, reported here, involved shipping seedlots to Toluca, Mexico, where the most virulent forms of Late Blight are present annually under the most favorable environment for severe disease damage to the crop. When these VIR stocks were field tested, some demonstrated very potent and durable resistance to the disease. This work is an international success story in identifying, preserving, and sharing potato genetic stocks that will be very valuable for research and breeding worldwide.

Technical Abstract: Fourteen wild Solanum species were evaluated for late blight resistance under natural infection conditions in the Toluca Valley, México, for two consecutive growing seasons. Significant effects were detected for the interaction of Accession/Year variation in Disease Maximum, sAUDPC (standardized AUDPC), r (rate of disease increase per unit time), and T50 (time to reach 50% of the disease). Continuous variation in Disease Maximum, sAUDPCs, r, and T50 indicated the presence of unique or multiple strong R genes for disease resistance. Eleven accessions from seven species with a high degree of resistance (R) were identified. Seven accessions from six species were also moderately resistant (MR) in both years. Five accessions of three species were MR or R in just one year, with 23 accessions being of interest as potential sources of resistance. Solanum genotypes that have a wide range of resistance could be used in breeding programs and for molecular genetic studies.