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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #121573

Title: BREEDING FOR PVY IMMUNITY: OLD GENES, NEW FRIENDS.

Author
item Brown, Charles
item Corsini, Dennis
item Novy, Richard

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Potato virus Y is one of the most serious potato disease problems worldwide. A large buildup of PVY in potato breeding projects and potato seed programs combined with the lack of control procedures has led to a crisis in many of the major potato seed producing states and provinces. All of the important varieties in the U.S. are susceptible to this virus, some are extremely susceptible. The USDA-ARS breeding programs in Idaho and Washington have made PVY resistance a high priority goal. This presentation describes sources of PVY immunity and how these immunity genes are being incorporated into useful varieties.

Technical Abstract: Potato Virus Y (PVY) is an important pathogen worldwide. Transmitted in a transient fashion by aphids, it is generally considered to be a difficult control problem in seed programs compared to potato leafroll virus. Dominant monogenes conditioning immunity to all strains of PVY have long been available to breeders, yet no important varieties harbor any of these. .A program to identify PVY immune breeding parents harboring the Rysto and Ryadg genes by graft inoculation yielded a group of immune clones with diverse attributes. Results from grafting these and transgenic clones indicate that ELISA values of immune clones are 8 percent of the susceptible clones, 0.06 versus 0.78. Immune potatoes, when inoculated, do not build up virus in foliage, do not pass virus to daughter tubers and do not provide inoculum to vectors.