Qualitative and Quantitative Resistance against Early Blight Introgressed in Potato

Early blight is a disease of potato that is caused by Alternaria species, notably A. solani. The disease is usually controlled with fungicides. However, A. solani is developing resistance against fungicides, and potato cultivars with genetic resistance to early blight are currently not available. Here, we identify two wild potato species, which are both crossable with cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum), that show promising resistance against early blight disease. The cross between resistant S. berthaultii and a susceptible diploid S. tuberosum gave rise to a population in which resistance was inherited quantitatively. S. commersonii subsp. malmeanum was also crossed with diploid S. tuberosum, despite a differing endosperm balance number. This cross resulted in triploid progeny in which resistance was inherited dominantly. This is somewhat surprising, as resistance against necrotrophic plant pathogens is usually a quantitative trait or inherited recessively according to the inverse-gene-for-gene model. Hybrids with high levels of resistance to early blight are present among progeny from S. berthaultii as well as S. commersonii subsp. malmeanum, which is an important step towards the development of a cultivar with natural resistance to early blight.

A Test of Taxonomic and Biogeographic Predictivity: Resistance to Potato virus Y in Wild Relatives of the Cultivated Potato

A major justification for taxonomic research is its assumed ability to predict the presence of traits in a group for which the trait has been observed in a representative subset of the group. Similarly, populations in similar environments are expected to be more alike than populations in divergent environments. Consequently, it is logical to assume that taxonomic relationships and biogeographical data have the power to predict the distribution of disease resistance phenotypes among plant species. The objective of this study was to test predictivity in a group of widely distributed wild potato species, based on hypotheses that closely related organisms (taxonomy) or organisms from similar environments (biogeography) share resistance to a simply inherited trait (Potato virus Y [PVY]). We found that wild potato species with an endosperm balance number (EBN) of 1 (a measure of cross compatibility) shared resistances to PVY more than species with different EBN values. However, a large amount of variation was found for resistance to PVY among and within species. We also found that populations from low elevations were more resistant than those from high elevations. Because PVY is vectored by aphids, we speculate that the distribution of aphids may determine the level of selection pressure for PVY resistance.

Mitochondrial DNA variation in cultivated and wild potato species (Solanum spp.)Contribution No. 87 from the Institute of Plant Genetics, Research Division of Portici.

The European cultivated potato, Solanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum , has 6 related cultivated species and more than 200 wild relatives. In Solanum spp., studies of cytoplasmic organelles have been mainly confined to the plastid DNA composition of cultivated and wild species. In this study, 53 genotypes of 30 potato species belonging to the subsections Estolonifera and Potatoe , 2 tomato species, and a black nightshade genotype were examined using PCR markers to evaluate mitochondrial DNA diversity and assess whether mtDNA variability was correlated with series classification, geographical origin, ploidy, and endosperm balance number (EBN). The markers used revealed interspecific mtDNA variability in Solanum spp. and identified 13 different haplotypes. Intraspecific variability was also observed in a few species and genomic regions. Cluster analysis allowed arrangement of the 13 haplotypes into 7 subgroups, and statistical association tests showed significant relationships between mitochondrial patterns detected by molecular analysis and ploidy, EBN, and geographical origin. On the whole, the evolutionary patterns for the genomic regions analyzed reflected the species relationships established on the basis of morphological and molecular (nuclear and plastidial DNA) data. The mtDNA variability shown is also important for better characterization of genetic resources for potato breeding.

Somatic hybridization between Solanum tuberosum and S. cardiophyllum

The wild diploid Mexican species, Solanum cardiophyllum Lindl. (2n = 2x = 24), is resistant to important potato diseases. However, introgression of resistance to the tetraploid cultivated potato (S. tuberosum L.) (2n = 4x = 48) by conventional crossing is not feasible due to the difference in their endosperm balance number between these species. Somatic hybrids between S. cardiophyllum and S. tuberosum were produced for the first time by electrofusion of protoplasts isolated from young leaves of each parental line. The hybrid nature of the regenerated plants was confirmed based on morphology, chromosome number and DNA species-specific RAPD markers. All the somatic hybrids produced a violet pigmentation on their stems and petioles, which resembled the wild partner. Most of the hybrid plants had 2n = 72 chromosomes and exhibited a morphology intermediate between the two fusion parents, but with a tendency towards cultivated potato. These plants flowered and set fruit when backcrossed with their S. tuberosum fusion parent. Key words: Potato (Solanum tuberosum), S. cardiophyllum, protoplast fusion, RAPD marker

(2) A Unique Late-blight Resistance Locus from Solanum pinnatisectum

Phytophthorainfestans is the casual agent of late blight and is a major threat to potato production worldwide. There are no curative control agents available and resistance genes offer promise in controlling late blight. To date, the primary source of late-blight resistance has been from hexaploid (6x) [4 Endosperm Balance Number (EBN)] Solanum demissum. Mexican diploid (2x) (1EBN) Solanum species possess a wealth of late-blight resistances, but have been neglected due to crossing barriers. Manipulation of EBN and ploidies should allow integration of 2x (1EBN) germplasm into cultivated potato. Synteny between late-blight resistance loci from Solanum species of disparate ploidies and EBNs may facilitate the identification of unique resistance alleles and loci. Isolate MSU96 (US8/A2) of P. infestans revealed a late-blight resistance locus (Rpi1) from 2x(1EBN) S. pinnatisectum (PI 253214) that mapped to chromosome seven (MGG 265:977-985). MSU96 was also avirulent on the late-blight differential R9-Hodgson 2573 (LB3), revealing the presence of the avirulence gene for R9 originating from S. demissum. To test the relationship between Rpi1 and R9, we evaluated a family segregating for R9 and revealed that it does not map to chromosome seven. The independent inheritance of R9 and Rpi1 indicates that Rpi1 is a unique resistance locus. We are conducting a variety of crossing schemes to introgress Rpi1 into cultivated potato.