Marker-Assisted Selection of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) resistant potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)

Marker-Assisted Selection of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) resistant potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)

Summary

Selection is continuing upon the BC3 populations, as well as the remaining S. bulbocastanum–related breeding lines that have been accumulated in our breeding program. We are currently screening 775 plants generated from ten new breeding lines for presence of the RB gene. We will discard all of the clones that are negative for the marker. The future evaluation and selection of the marker-positive materials will be solely based on their agronomic performance at the 1 Hill level in 2006. One field day presentation has been given to the growers, researchers and extension agents of Wisconsin at the Hancock field day on August 9, 2005.

Objectives/Performance Targets

We are continuing to screen the 775 plants generated from ten new breeding lines for presence of the RB gene. These potatoes are being confirmed for the presence of the RB gene so they can be brought up to the next level of field breeding.

Questionnaires are currently being generated to send out to interested growers in Wisconsin in order to assess their current knowledge in three key areas. Specifically, the areas addressed are Somatic-hybrid development, breeding through marker-assisted selection and genetically modified potatoes.

Informational talks will be given to growers on February 15 and March 8, 2006. Talks will cover the development of the RB containing potatoes, somatic-hybrid development and the marker-assisted selection process. Questionnaires will be given at the end of each talk to help assess the understanding of the audience.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Presently, sixty eight percent of the BC3 plants contain the RB gene. We have evaluated three families and are continuing to work on the remaining seven. We are also evaluating sixteen potatoes at the 4 Hill and 8 Hill level with the marker that were selected in the 2006 season based upon agronomic traits. These potatoes are in advanced stages of selection, so once the RB gene presence is confirmed, these potatoes will move on to more extensive trials.

One field day has been completed and two more are scheduled for the spring of 2006.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Not applicable at this time.

Collaborators: