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Title: BREEDING FOR RESISTANCE TO POTATO EARLY AND LATE BLIGHTS

Author
item Helgeson, John
item JAMES, R. - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
item STEVENSON, W. - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

Submitted to: Proceedings Wisconsin Annual Potato Meetings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/24/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Last year we presented data on resistance to early blight, caused by Alternaria solani, in somatic hybrids between Solanum bulbocastanum, a wild Mexican species, and potato. Full comparisons were possible in 1995, unlike 1994 when the late blight epidemic interfered with early blight scoring later in the season. Potato lines that were the most resistant in 1994 were eagain at or near the bottom of the infection percentages. The results also indicated that segregation of the population into highly resistant and highly susceptible types had occurred. Last year we also reported that some of the plants derived from S.bulbocastanum somatic hybrids with potato were very resistant to late blight disease, caused by Phytophthora infestans. In order to test this resistance at a number of locations, tubers were grown in the greenhouse at Madison during the winter of 1994-1995 and then were shipped to Hancock, WI and 7 other locations in North America including New wYork, West Virginia, Maine, North Dakota, Washington, Toluca (Mexico) and Prince Edward Island (Canada). Although the weather was not conducive to late blight in Wisconsin or Maine, late blight epidemics were obtained at the other 6 locations. Potato lines that were resistant in 1994 also stood up well in 1995. These results indicate that full scale breeding for late blight and early blight resistant cultivars is clearly warranted with these materials.