Author
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JACKSON, S A - DEPT OF HORT UW MADISON |
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Hanneman Jr, Robert |
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Submitted to: Journal of Euphytica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/26/1999 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The potato has over 200 wild relatives, which is a rich source of useful traits not common in the common potato. The problem is that in spite of this rich source of valuable genes, little is known of the crossability between them and the commonly cultivated potato. This study was conducted to determine the crossing/hybridization relationship between the species and the common potato using common varieties, and to study the barriers involved. It was observed that hybridization was more sucessful as the wild species were more closely related taxonomically to the cultivated potato. These findings showed aid in the more efficient use of wild species in potato improvement and thus the movement of valuable traits from them to varieties contributing to the security of the food source for the future. Technical Abstract: The cultivated potato has over 200 extant wild relatives many of which contain genes valuable for disease resistance, hardiness, processing and agronomic traits. Crossability of these wild species directly withe the cultivated potato is complicated by several reproductive phenomina such as stylar and ploidy barriers and Endosperm Balance Numbers (EBN). However, a systematic analysis of crossability with many of these wild relatives has never fully been examined. Reciprocal crosses were made between cultivated potato and over 400 wild potato accessions; stylar barriers and 2n gamete production were examined as was the fertility of many of the putative hybrids. Generally, the seed/fruit ratio increased the more closely related the species were to the cultivated potato, although, a few crosses were successful in spite of predicted failure due to ploidy or EBN differences. |
