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Comparison of the effectiveness of different methods of screening for bacterial soft rot resistance of potato tubers

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Abstract

Tubers from eight potato cultivars (cvs) grown at two different locations in Wisconsin were tested for bacterial soft rot resistance using different inoculation techniques. The procedures included 1) point inoculations of tubers with different inoculum levels followed by incubation in ambient or low oxygen condtions, 2) inoculation of mechanically bruised tubers followed by incubation in a mist chamber, and 3) a standard slice inoculation method.

The point titration test followed by incubation in dew chamber and the mist chamber-bruise test showed similar patterns of resistance for cultivars that were used in these experiments. These two methods are considered to be effective for screening potato tubers for bacterial soft rot resistance. Point titration methods are very useful if only limited numbers of tubers are available. The mist chamber-bruise test is simpler than the other procedures; however, to obtain reproducible results large numbers of tubers are required. Because of the great variability of the results obtained in inoculation of slices, the reliability of this approach can be questioned as a standardized method for evaluation of resistance. Tubers of somatic hybrids ofS. brevidens andS. tuberosum and their sexual progeny were significantly more resistant to bacterial soft rot than tubers of moderately resistant cultivars when evaluated by each of the assay procedures.

Compendio

Los tubérculos de ocho cultivares (cvs) de papa, producidos en dos diferentes localidades en Wisconsin, fueron probados para resistencia a la pudrición blanda utilizando diferentes técnicas de inoculación. Los procedimientos incluyeron 1) inoculación de ciertas zonas de los tubérculos con diferentes nivelés de inóculo seguida por incubatión bajo condiciones del ambiente o condiciones de baja oxigenación, 2) inoculación de tubérculos magullados mecánicamente seguida por incubación en cámara de nebulización, y 3) un método estándar para inocular rebanadas.

La prueba de dosificación de zonas seguida por incubación en cámara de formatión de rocío y la prueba de las magulladuras en cámara de nebulización mostraron formas similares de resistencia para los cultivares utilizados en estos experimentos. Se considera que estos dos métodos son efectivos para la evaluatión y selection de tubérculos de papa para resistencia a la pudrición blanda bacteriana. Los métodos de dosificación de zonas son muy útiles si se tiene un limitado número de tubérculos disponibles. La prueba de las magulladuras en cámara de nebulización es más simple que los otros procedimientos. Sin embargo, para obtener resultados reproducibles, se requieren numerosos tubérculos. Debido a la gran variatión en los resultados obtenidos en la inoculación de rebanadas, la confianza en este método puede ser cuestionada como un método estandarizado para la evaluatión de resistencia. Tubérculos de híbridos somáticos deS. brevidens yS. tuberosum y su progenie sexual fueron significativamente más resistentes a la pudrición blanda bacteriana que los tubérculos de cultivares moderadamente resistentes cuando se les evaluó por cada uno de los métodos ensayados.

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Author notes

  1. Ewa Łojkowska (Former Research Associate and WARF Senior Research Professor of Plant Pathology)

    Present address: Biochemical Laboratory, Institute for Potato Research, Bonin, 76-009, Koszalin, Poland

  2. Arthur Kelman (Former WARF Senior Research Professor of Bacteriology)

    Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, 27695-7616, Raleigh, NC

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, WI

    Ewa Łojkowska (Former Research Associate and WARF Senior Research Professor of Plant Pathology) & Arthur Kelman (Former WARF Senior Research Professor of Bacteriology)

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  1. Ewa Łojkowska
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  2. Arthur Kelman
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Łojkowska, E., Kelman, A. Comparison of the effectiveness of different methods of screening for bacterial soft rot resistance of potato tubers. American Potato Journal 71, 99–113 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02849113

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