Genetic variation in a population of tetraploid potatoes: Foliar resistance to oviposition of the potato leafhopper

Abstract

Oviposition by the potato leafhopperEmpoasca fabae was measured on detached leaflets from nine half-sib groups (18 full-sib families) of tetraploid potatoes. The parents were clones that had been used in the USDA breeding program.

Significant differences occurred among full-sib families, and between full-sib families with a common parent, but not among half-sib groups. The variance component for between full-sib families with a common parent averaged over twice as large as the component due to differences among half-sib groups. Although this could be due to intra-locus interaction, it seemed that common environmental effects were a more likely cause.

Previous feeding on beans affected leafhopper oviposition in the first 4-day test period. By the 2nd test period the effect had disappeared, and results in test periods 2, 3, and 4 were consistent with each other. With a procedure including a feeding period on potatoes before testing, phenotypic selection of individuals was shown to be more efficient than selection by progeny testing with half or full-sib families for increasing resistance to oviposition.

The ranking of families by the amount of oviposition on detached leaflets and by nymph infestation densities in the field were similar at the extremes of the resistance range, but variable in between.